T

he Corruption Court convicted lawmaker Yusuf Erwin Faishal of taking bribes from local officials and businessmen and sentenced him to four and a half years in prison Monday.

"The defendant has legally and convincingly been found guilty of corruption as indicted in the first and second charges," presiding judge Edward Pattinasarani told the Corruption Court when reading out his verdict.

The judges also ordered him to pay Rp 250 million (US$22,000) in fines or serve an additional six months prison. The sentence was two years less than the term sought by prosecutors.

The judges considered the cooperative behavior and remorse shown by the defendant during his trial, as well as his efforts to return the stolen money, when handing down the sentence.

Yusuf, a legislator with the National Awakening Party (PKB), was shown to have violated Article 12 (a) and (b) of the 1999 corruption law regarding bribes. He illegally received money from the South Sumatra administration and companies that supplied an integrated radio communications system to the Forestry Ministry.

He also took Rp 775 million from local businessman Chandra Antonio Tan, who was appointed by former South Sumatra governor Syahrial Oesman to allocate Rp 5 billion to guarantee approval for the conversion of 600 hectares of protected forest in Pantai Air Telang in Banyuasin. The land was to be developed into the Tanjung Api Api seaport.

"The defendant, as the forestry commission head at the House of Representatives, received Rp 275 million in October 2006," said judge Dudu Duswara. He said that money was part of a first installment payment of Rp 2.5 billion from Chandra, whose company PT Chandratex Indo Artha was involved in a consortium bidding for the development project.

"The money was an "operational cost" for the proposal," Dudu said.The operational cost, he added, was discussed with other legislators Sarjan Tahir, Hilman Indra, Azwar Chesputra and Fachri Andi Leluasa.

Sarjan took Rp 150 million, Hilman Rp 175 million, Azwar Rp 325 million and Fachri Rp 175 million from the proposal costs. Several other legislators received between Rp 25 million and Rp 170 million each.

The second installment was made in June 2007 at a hotel in Jakarta, where Yusuf received Rp 500 million, Sarjan Rp 200 million, Hilman Rp 260 million, Azwar Rp 125 million, and Fachri Rp 235 million. Once again, several other legislators also took a share, ranging from Rp 5 million to Rp 100 million.

"In July 2007 the forestry commission issued a recommendation for the protected forest conversion to go ahead, so the money had something to do with the recommendation," said another judge Teguh Hariyanto.