Former ministry executive faces 4 years, 6 months in prison for graft

Prosecutors on Monday requested judges at the Corruption Court hand down four years and six months imprisonment for former Health Ministry secretary Sjafii Ahmad for his involvement in a corruption scandal.

The case centers on the illegal procurement of portable X-ray machines for the ministry in 2007.

“We demand the court sentence the defendant to four years and six months in prison for violating the 2001 anti-corruption law,” prosecutor Agus Salim said Monday at the court.

Prosecutors said Sjafii was guilty of engineering the procurement process, causing state losses of Rp 9.48 billion (US$1.08 million).

“We also demand the seizure of the money [that Sjafii gained] from the graft,” prosecutors said.

Prosecutors also demanded that the court require the defendant pay Rp 100 million in fines or serve an additional six months in prison.