PDI-P candidate jailed for forgery

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: The Kendari District Court here has sentenced Supriadi Saranani, a legislative candidate from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), to four months in jail for using a false diploma.

The sentence on Friday was lighter than the seven months being sought by prosecutor Purnama.

The case came to light when the Konawe regency Election Supervisory Committee (Panwaslu) attempted to verify the high school diploma submitted by Supriadi, who was a legislative candidate in Konawe regency near Kendari, the capital of Southeast Sulawesi.

When officials from the supervisory committed checked the diploma with the Southeast Sulawesi Education Office, the office declared the diploma was a fake.

The Panwaslu officials then filed a report with the police and the case was brought to trial.

Following the verdict, Supriadi was disqualified from contesting the elections by the Konawe General Elections Commission. -- JP