Alzier gets suspended jail term

Alzier gets suspended jail term

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: A panel of judges here handed down on
Thursday a suspended sentence of nine months in jail and a one
year probation to Lampung governor-elect M. Alzier Dianis
Thabranie for committing fraud and falsifying a document before
his election three years ago.

A suspended jail term means that Alzier will not have to serve
the nine-month sentence unless he commits a crime within the one
year probation period.

Presiding judge Gani Parlaungan of Tanjungkarang district
court here said that the defendant was found guilty of fraud
involving 500 tons of fertilizer worth Rp 502.5 million
(US$59117) from state-owned fertilizer firm PT Pusri, and of
using an illegal diploma.

The sentence is far less than the prosecutor's demand, who
sought a 10-month jail sentence for the defendant.

Armen Yasir, a law observer from Lampung University, lashed
out at the verdict, saying that it was too lenient, considering
that Alzier had been convicted in a graft case. -- JP