Huzrin gets reduced jail sentence<\/p>\n
PEKANBARU, Riau: The Riau High Court upheld on Friday the
\nverdict by a lower court that found Riau Islands regent Huzrin
\nHood guilty of corruption.<\/p>\n
However, the panel of judges at the High Court reduced the
\nlower court's sentence of two years and handed Huzrin a one-year
\njail term.<\/p>\n
They also ordered that Huzrin be placed under city arrest,
\nwhich means he will not be serving his sentence in prison and is
\nmerely confined to city limits.<\/p>\n
During the court session, presiding judge Imam Soekarno said
\nthe lighter sentence was granted to Huzrin on the grounds that he
\nhad little understanding of what was categorized as corruption.<\/p>\n
He also lacked knowledge of the bureaucratic system, a
\nshortcoming that led him to "mismanage the budget" of the Riau
\nIslands administration. "He is only a senior high school
\ngraduate," Imam said, as a way of explanation.<\/p>\n
The High Court verdict was handed down following Huzrin's
\nappeal that he was not guilty of corruption.<\/p>\n
The court did not go into details as to whether it had
\nstripped Huzrin of his position as Riau Islands Regent.<\/p>\n
The case against Huzrin centered on a public expose held by
\nthe Supreme Audit Body (BPK) two years ago, which revealed
\nirregularities totaling Rp 87.2 billion in the provincial budget.<\/p>\n
The Riau Prosecutor's Office, however, found later that the
\nirregularities, which were to be investigated as a possible
\ncorruption case, only amounted to Rp 3.46 billion. -- JP<\/p>",
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