Huzrin finds new home in Bandung jail

Huzrin finds new home in Bandung jail

Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post/Bandung

Former Riau Islands regent Huzrin Hood, who was sentenced to two
years for embezzling Rp 3.4 billion (US$377,777) from the
regency's 2001 and 2002 budgets, has been registered as a new
inmate at Sukamiskin prison in Bandung, West Java.

Officials said on Wednesday that Huzrin was transferred to the
prison last Friday from Tanjung Pinang General Hospital, Riau
Islands, where he was receiving treatment for heart and
respiratory ailments.

The former regent was originally scheduled to enter Tanjung
Pinang Penitentiary on July 2, after his appeal was turned down
by the Supreme Court.

Due to his condition, however, the graft convict was admitted
to Tanjung Pinang hospital for 42 days.

Sukotjo, correctional department head at the West Java Justice
and Human Rights Agency, said Huzrin was sent to Sukamiskin
prison upon orders from the director general of correctional
institutions at the justice ministry.

"We just carried out an order from the central government. It
is nothing special," he told The Jakarta Post.

Sukotjo could not explain the reasons behind imprisoning
Huzrin in Bandung.

He said Huzrin would be treated the same as other prisoners,
and that the former regent shared a cell with two other inmates.

Journalists were barred by the Sukamiskin warden on Wednesday
from looking at the cell.

Sukotjo said Huzrin was not among the over 48,000 convicts who
received sentence reductions from the President, as is customary
in marking Independence Day, because he was serving a jail term
of less than six months.