Former South Nias regent faces bribery charges

Former South Nias regent Fahuwusa Laila could face up to five years in prison and Rp 250 million in fines if found guilty of bribing General Elections Commission (KPU) member Saut Hamonangan Sirait, a prosecutor says.

“We have gathered enough evidence to prove that Fahuwusa [attempted to] pay a bribe worth Rp 99.9 million,” Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor I Kadek Wiradana said while reading out his indictment at Jakarta's graft court on Tuesday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

Fahuwusa was denied a second term as South Nias regent in the regional general elections last year, because his portfolio lacked his high school diploma.

Fahuwusa, along with his wife Nur Asna Larosa, a local legislator from the Democratic Party, decided to take the case to the KPU in Jakarta.

Prosecutors allege that Fahuwusa then met Saut, the elections coordinator for North Sumatra, and paid him a bribe to fix the election outcome.

Saut, who refused the money, reported the attempt to the KPK.