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South Sulawesi regent has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison after being convicted of accepting a car from a conglomerate closely linked to Vice President Jusuf Kalla.

Barru Regent Andi Idris Syukur, who was installed for his second term earlier this year, was convicted of accepting gratuities in the form of a Mitsubishi Pajero SUV from Bosowa Corporation, one of the largest business entities in the region and owned by Aksa Mahmud, Kalla’s brother-in-law.

The car was given in return for a permit for clay and limestone mining in the regency in 2012.

The verdict was handed down by presiding judge Cakra Alam at the Makassar Corruption Court on Monday, who said the defendant had violated the Money Laundering Law.

There was a dissenting opinion from ad hoc judges Abdul Razak and Andi Shukri, who were on the panel of judges. They said the defendant had committed no offense and so must be acquitted.

However, Cakra and two other judges, Bonar Harianja and Ibrahim Palino, insisted that the evidence had proven his guilt.

“Andi Idris has been found guilty of corruption and money laundering,” said Cakra, adding that the defendant was also ordered to pay a fine of Rp 250 million (US$18,883).

Idris, whose second term as Barru regent was due to expire in 2021, was also condemned for not supporting the government’s corruption fight.

He was also required to return the car he received from Bosowa. The car’s ownership title had been changed to the name of the defendant’s son Andi Mirza Riogi Idris.

Idris was not detained during the trial proceedings, as he was considered cooperative and a first offender. He also continued to perform his duties and responsibilities as regent.

Cakra said the defendant asked for the gratuity from Bosowa after it applied for an exploration permit for clay and limestone in Barru regency in 2012. The gratuity request was submitted by the defendant through Muslim Salam, an executive with the company.

The Mitsubishi Pajero was worth Rp 350 million. Idris said he made the request because he would use the car on rough mountain roads that made traveling by a normal car difficult.

Bosowa Corporation fulfilled the regent’s request and a few days after he received the car, on Oct. 9, 2012, he issued the permit applied for by PT Semen Bosowa Barru.

After receiving the car, the defendant asked the business group to change the vehicle ownership title and documents to his wife’s name, Andi Citta Mariogi. The original owner of the car was Ahmad Manda.

In 2013, the car ownership title was again transferred to his son, who then modified it by replacing its wheel rims and repainting it from metallic gray to black. This was regarded as an attempt to disguise the origin of the vehicle.

When asked after the trial, Idris’ lawyer Alias Ismail said his client had not yet decided whether to accept the verdict.

“We’re still discussing it with our client. The decision of the judges is clearly unfair, because there was a dissenting opinion. Two members of the panel of judges stated our client was not guilty of any offense,” said Alias.