JEC graft case enters first trial

YOGYAKARTA: The Yogyakarta District Court will hold on Wednesday an initial hearing into the Rp 150 billion corruption case involving construction of the Jogja Expo Center (JEC), in which councillor Herman Abdurrahman and dozens of his colleagues are implicated.

Herman is charged with receiving bribes worth Rp 100 million from PT. Adhi Karya, the construction company that won the JEC project, for the legislature's support in facilitating the final disbursement of project funds from the Yogyakarta provincial administration.

"During the investigation, he (Herman) admitted to having bribed over half of the 52 members of the provincial legislative council," Ranu Miharja, spokesman of the Yogyakarta Provincial Prosecutor's Office, said.

Herman, who is also head of the United Development Party (PPP) faction at the provincial legislative council, is facing a minimum jail term of four years and a fine of Rp 200 million for violating Law No. 20/2001 on corruption, he said.--JP