Regent faces jail for graft

Regent faces jail for graft

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Prosecutors have demanded that
Kendari Regent Razak Porosi be sentenced to three years in prison
for corruption involving almost Rp 300 million.

Reading out a 90-page indictment, prosecutor Antonius Sudiarto
told the Kendari District Court on Wednesday that the defendant
must also pay a Rp 30 million fine if found guilty in the ongoing
trial.

The regent was guilty of misusing his power by amassing state
funds for his and his cronies' personal gain, he alleged.

Razak has been accused of collecting as much as Rp 289.3
million in donations from local businesspeople and others between
1993 and 1998 to fund state ceremonies related to national
holidays and social activities in Kendari.

Antonius said the donations were made despite the fact his
administration had allocated funds for those events from its
budget.

The regent was also blamed for the management of the funds,
which the prosecutor said should have been the responsibility of
event committees.

During Wednesday's trial presided over by judge M. Hoesni
Sulaiman, the defendant, wearing his official uniform, looked
calm.

In response to the demands, the regent's lawyers said their
client understood the charges and would enter its defense at the
next hearing date on March 6. --Antara