Inactive Bengkulu gov gets 4-year imprisonment for embezzlement

The Supreme Court gave a four-year imprisonment and Rp 200 million (US$21,810) in fine, or additional three months in prison, for suspended Bengkulu Governor Agusrin Maryono Najamuddin.

Presiding justice Agung Artidjo Alkostar said Tuesday that Agusrin had been proven guilty as charged for the embezzlement of dividend of Land and Building Taxes (PBB) and transfer of land rights (BPHTB), tempo.co reported.

Artidjo said the panel of justices found convincing and related evidence of the role of Agusrin and former head of Bengkulu Revenue Agency, Khaerudin.

Khaerudin opened an additional bank account to collect the dividends of PBB and BPHTB in 2006 that had cost the state Rp 20 billion of loses.

Agusrin had previously acquitted by judge Syarifuddin at Central Jakarta District Court on May 25, 2011, which made the prosecutors filed for an appeal at the Supreme Court.

Syarifuddin is now a defendant of an alleged bribery case tried at the Corruption Court. (iwa)