Indonesian speaker jailed for corruption
 |
Story Tools
 | CNN.com Asia | | | |
|
JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- The speaker of the Indonesian parliament and head of the country's second largest political party has been found guilty of corruption and sentenced to three years in jail.
Lawyers for Akbar Tandjung say they plan to immediately appeal against the verdict.
Tandjung is one of the highest officials ever tried in Indonesia and the outcome of the case has been eagerly awaited by thousands of Indonesians across the vast archipelago.
Observers say that after three decades of authoritarian rule many doubted that government promises to crack down on corruption would actually target senior figures.
Nonetheless some critics have already slammed the sentence as far too light.
Tandjung, who also heads the once-mighty Golkar party, was convicted of misusing more than $4 million intended for charity and diverting them from Bulog, the state food distribution agency, into party coffers.
Prosecutors said the crime took place in 1999 when Tandjung held the post of cabinet secretary.
Under Indonesian law the maximum penalty for graft and abuse of power is 20 years.
'Trumped up'
Golkar, once the political vehicle of former President Suharto, is a key coalition partner of current President Megawati Sukarnoputri.
It is unclear as yet what impact the verdict will have on the party.
Some supporters of Tandjung have claimed the case is trumped up to destroy his political career and prevent him from running for president in 2004.
Tandjung himself has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and refused to stand down from both his position as head of the party and as parliamentary speaker.
Earlier as crowds gathered to hear the verdict, hundreds of supporters wearing Golkars trademark bright yellow T-shirts crowded into the Jakarta courthouse.
Outside however, several hundred more students gathered shouting slogans such as "Hang Akbar Tandjung!" and "Disband Golkar!"
More than 80 witnesses were called during the trial with the eventual verdict running to some 250 pages.
