President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and President Barack Obama in Jakarta in 2010. (White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) The former chairman of Indonesia’s ruling party was jailed for eight years Wednesday for takingn up to $15 million in bribes to create a political slush fund.
Anas Urbaningrum had led President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party.
He was also ordered to forfeit $4.8 million to the state.
The Democratic Party rules in a coalition with several others.
Indonesia’s independent Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) accused Urbaningrum of corruption and money laundering in connection with the development of a sports center outside the capital Jakarta.
The KPK had asked a panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court for a 15-year sentence.
Urbaningrum left his leadership post last year after being named a suspect in the construction of the Hambalang sports complex.
The sports complex cost $122 million. A state auditor said up to $25 million was lost through corruption.
Urbaningrum claimed he was innocent.
“If I’m found guilty of receiving a single penny from [the] Hambalang [sports complex graft case], you can hang me from the top of Monas [the National Monument],” he told the media.
Prosecutors tied about $15 million in payments from various sources to Urbaningrum.
They said he used most of the money to fund political campaigns for his party.
The KPK said he also bought three plots of land in East Jakarta and Yogyakarta for himself with the political slush fund.
President Yudhoyono was elected as a reformer but a steady stream of graft scandals rocked his agenda.
He leaves office next month after serving the maximum two five-year terms.
His party polled fourth in legislative elections this year and failed to field a presidential candidate.
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Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. He can be contacted here.
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