(CNN) -- An Indonesian court on Wednesday handed a seven-year sentence to a former tax official for corruption in a case that exposed rampant government graft.
Gayus Tambunan was also fined 300 million rupiah ($30,000 ) after being found guilty of corruption.
Crowds booed and jeered when the judge read the verdict, which was less than the 20 years demanded by the prosecutors. Prosecutors plan to appeal.
Gayus case came into the spotlight after he cooperated with the police to become a whistle-blower and expose the corruption in almost all aspect of the Indonesian judiciary system.
"This case have been influenced by many sides to make me look like public enemy number one in Indonesia," Gayus said after the verdict.
"I'm really disappointed with legal system mafia task force (formed to combat corruption in the judiciary system), who didn't investigate the high level officials and instead politicized the issue."
Gayus first came to national attention when he was arrested for bribing the judges, prosecutors and the police for more than $2 million to have his corruption case dismissed. He was initially accused of helping companies evade taxes.
Police later revealed that the lowly tax official, despite making a only modest income a month, had reportedly amassed millions of dollars in cash and assets.
Gayus stirred anger in the country when he was photographed in Bali watching a tennis tournament when he was supposed to be in custody for his corruption case. He said he was in need of a holiday after feeling "stressed out" in prison.
He later admitted that he had escaped prison at least 68 times by bribing the guards. He said he has taken trips to various destinations, including Macau, with fake passports obtained from the immigration office.
"Gayus is just the tip of the iceberg, his case indicates rampant corruption in the judiciary system, the tax office and the immigration office but the main issue seems to be avoided," said Adrianus Meliala, a criminology professor and police observer.
"For instance, the police investigation didn't include where the funds were funneled. This case doesn't surprise me because corruption has become a culture in the tax office and this shows that the reform process is far from finished."
The case prompted the president to order authorities to look into dozens of companies allegedly linked to Gayus and recover state assets.
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