Two big corrupters get multi-year jail sentences<\/p>\n
Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar, South Sulawesi<\/p>\n
A court in South Sulawesi has handed down heavy jail sentences to
\ntwo officials found guilty of embezzling around Rp 40.913 billion
\n(US$4.813 million) in taxes from state-owned oil firm Pertamina
\nand cement company PT Semen Tonasa.<\/p>\n
The Makassar District Court sentenced Iwan Zulkarnain, an
\nofficial with the local post office, to 16 years jail.<\/p>\n
The court also jailed his accomplice, Asriadi, an official at
\nthe Makassar tax office, for 10 years, and fined the two
\ndefendants Rp 100 million each. Failure to pay the fines will
\nresult in an additional three-month-jail term.<\/p>\n
The panel of judges led by Andi Haedar, who is the head of the
\ncourt, also ordered Iwan to pay Rp 27 billion and Asriadi Rp 13
\nbillion in compensation for the losses to the state. Otherwise,
\ntwo and one years will be added to the sentences respectively.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors have confiscated five cars, two motorcycles,
\nincluding one Harley Davidson, a plot of land and a house, and
\nmoney from several bank accounts belonging to the defendants.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors had sought 20 years in jail for Iwan and 15
\nyears for Asriadi.<\/p>\n
The judges said the two defendants were proven to have
\n"legally and convincingly committed corruption together" from
\nJanuary 2001 to July 2002.<\/p>\n
Haedar said that based on the testimonies of witnesses, Iwan
\nwas assigned to collect the taxes from the two companies and
\ndeposit the money in the form of cross-checks to his personal
\nbank account.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Asriadi filed tax forms with his office as proof
\nthe companies had already paid the taxes, the chief judged added.<\/p>\n
Asriadi admitted to receiving Rp 13 billion of the money,
\nwhile Iwan got the rest. The two used the money to buy cars,
\nmotorcycles, plots of land and houses.<\/p>\n
The pair said they would consider appealing the verdicts.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/two-big-corrupters-get-multi-year-jail-sentences-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }