The government delayed on Saturday the release of former Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh from Sukamiskin prison in Bandung as he has not paid Rp 500 million in fine imposed on him following his conviction in a graft case in 2005.
Prison warden Murdjito said Puteh would need only to pay the fine in order to walk free after serving only less than a half of his jail term.
“He has not made the payment. The sooner he pays the fine the faster the process to release him,” Murdjito told Antara. He added that even if Puteh had paid the fine, he would have to wait for another three days to allow the government verify the payment.
Failure to pay the fine will force Puteh to serve another six months in jail term.
Puteh was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2005 for his role in a mark-up of helicopter procurement, making him the first active governor to be convicted of graft. The Supreme Court upheld the jail sentence later that year.
Puteh has been stayed in an assimilation house just behind the prison over the last six months.
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