23 councillors put behind bars

Hasrul, The Jakarta Post, Kendari

Kendari district court on Tuesday sentenced 23 former city councillors to one year and six months in jail, adding to the long list of councillors around the country who have been incarcerated for graft.

The panel of judges declared that the defendants had stolen state money by including severance pay in the city council budget, despite there being no regulation that allows such a payment.

By including severance pay in the council budget, the councillors were stealing state money for their own gain and had to be punished, the judges said in their verdict.

The panel of judges said in the case had caused state losses amounting to Rp 5.9 billion.

Most of the defendants, councillors who served Kendari city between 1999 and 2004, were not reelected in the 2004 general elections. Two remaining councillors -- namely Haeruddin Pondiu, the former council speaker, and Nurdin Halip, the former council secretary -- escaped prosecution as they have since passed away.

The court on Tuesday was marred by chaos with family members of the defendants crying hysterically after the verdict was read.

Police personnel tightly guarded the court building after a report that the former councillors would mobilize supporters to mount pressure against the panel of judges. The mobilization, however, did not materialize.

The 23 councillors joined hundreds of other regional councillors who have been put into jail for corruption. The waves of councillors incarcerated for graft began in year 2003 when dozens of West Sumatra provincial councillors were brought to court.