Councillor face five years in jail<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Surakarta<\/p>\n
Two former leaders of Surakarta City Council were sentenced to
\nfive years' imprisonment on Monday by the Surakarta District
\nCourt following their convictions on graft charges.<\/p>\n
The two, former council speaker Bambang Mudiarto and deputy
\nspeaker M. Yusuf Hidayat who served the 1999-2004 term, were also
\nfined Rp 200 million (US$20,000) each and ordered to return the
\nmoney they had misappropriated to the tune of Rp 266 million and
\nRp 89 million respectively, or face another six months'
\nimprisonment.<\/p>\n
The sentences were heavier than had been sought by the
\nprosecution, which had recommended four years in jail for each of
\nthem and the return of the money they had misappropriated.<\/p>\n
On Monday, eight councillors serving the same term were also
\ncharged with two years and six months' imprisonment each for
\ntheir convictions on the same charge.<\/p>\n
Each of them also has to pay a Rp 50 million fine and will be
\nsentenced to an additional two months in jail each if they cannot
\nreturn the funds they misappropriated of between Rp 62 million
\nand Rp 128 million each.<\/p>\n
The eight councillors' prison sentences were lighter than
\ndemanded by prosecutors, who had recommended four years in jail
\nfor each of them.<\/p>\n
The councillors are Darsono, Eriadi Dodi Prasetyo, Purwono,
\nBandung Joko Suryono, Sali Basuki, Muhammad Iqbal Ipmawan,
\nMujahid and Rio Suseno.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Suroso said the prosecutors' legal basis had
\nnot been strong enough because they had only based their charges
\non the financial losses suffered by the state without proving
\nthat the 10 were guilty of embezzlement.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors charged the 10 with violating article 3 and 18
\nof Anticorruption laws No. 31\/1999 and No. 20\/2001 and article 55
\nand article 64 of the Criminal Code.<\/p>\n
However, the judge also found the councillors' guilty of
\nenriching themselves through raising the budget, which was
\ndeclared a criminal act.<\/p>\n
Responding to the verdicts, both Bambang Mudiarto and other
\ncouncillors immediately said they would appeal the decision,
\nsaying that their move to change the budget was legal.<\/p>\n
\"What we've done was according to procedure, so we'll fight
\nfor our legal rights,\" Bambang said.<\/p>\n
Former councilor Darsono felt optimistic he would escape
\npunishment if the appeal court brought in the key witness, the
\nSurakarta mayor, who approved the budget change.<\/p>\n
\"The key witness has never been asked by the court or the
\nprosecutors to come to court,\" Darsono said.<\/p>\n
The graft case emerged after a coalition of community groups
\nreported the case to the police. They said that the councillors
\nand their leaders were involved in a graft case worth Rp 4.2
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Following the report, the Surakarta Police named all
\ncouncillors and their leaders suspects. So far, only 10 of them
\nhave been prosecuted while the remainder are awaiting
\nprosecution.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/councillor-face-five-years-in-jail-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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