JAKARTA: Two former officials of the West Java Fishery Agency, Ade Kusmana and Asep Hartyoman, were found guilty of corruption and sentenced to two years imprisonment Wednesday.

"Both defendants were proven guilty of committing corruption," presiding judge Moefri said at the Corruption Court in Jakarta.

They were sentenced to two years behind bars and fined Rp 50 million (US$4,545). Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional three months imprisonment.

Ade and Asep were convicted of embezzling Rp 8.37 billion through projects acquiring vessels, canoes and nets for fishermen following the tsunami disaster in 2006.

As members of the committee for obtaining project equipment, they violated the 2003 presidential decree on the guidance for goods and services which outlines correct tender proceedings. Ade and Asep breached this guideline by conducting tender processes between only two companies, one of which was PT Buntala Bersaudara Darmaja owned by David K. Wiranata, another suspect in the corruption case.

David paid the guilty men Rp 570 million in kickbacks to secure their choice of his company. -- JP

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