Should Kartini fail to pay the fine, she will receive an additional five months in prison.

'Kartini Juliana Magdalena Marpaung has been proved to have conducted graft, as earlier indicted,' presiding judge Iva Sudewi said on Thursday.

Iva said Kartini's graft scandal had tainted the government's efforts to fight graft and had brought a bad name to the profession.

The ruling was lighter than the 15 years in prison and Rp 750 million fine sought by prosecutors.

Commenting on the sentence, Kartini said she would first consult with her defense attorney before making any decision.

Kartini was arrested by Corruption Eradication Commission investigators shortly after accepting a bribe of Rp 150 million from colleague judge Heru Kisbandono. Heru received the money from Sri Dartutik, the sibling of Grobogan regional council speaker M Yaeni, whose graft case was tried by Kartini.

The money was reportedly to persuade Kartini to grant a lighter sentence to Yaeni.

Heru had been sentenced to six years in prison and a Rp 200 million fine while Sri Dartutik had been sentenced to four years in prison and ordered to pay a Rp 150 million fine.

Beforehand, Kartini's track record as graft court judge had often been criticized as she had continuously showed leniency when trying graft cases. (dic)

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