Indonesia's Former Speaker Gets 15 Years In Jail For Corruption

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Indonesia's former speaker gets 15 years in jail for corruption

Indonesia's former parliament speaker was handed a 15-year prison term on Tuesday in one of the country's harshest sentences for graft, marking a victory for its clamp-down on widespread corruption

Jakarta, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Apr, 2018 ) :Indonesia's former parliament speaker was handed a 15-year prison term on Tuesday in one of the country's harshest sentences for graft, marking a victory for its clamp-down on widespread corruption.

Setya Novanto, once among the country's most influential politicians, had been accused of taking millions in kickbacks and bribes linked to the national roll-out of government ID cards.

"We have found defendant Setya Novanto, beyond reasonable doubt, guilty of violating anti-corruption law," presiding Judge Yanto told the packed Jakarta courtroom.

Novanto, who showed little reaction to the sentence, said he would "need time" to consider an appeal. His months-long trial came after a string of manoeuvres -- including allegedly faking an injury in a car crash -- that critics say the 62-year-old used to dodge serious charges. Prosecutors had demanded a 16-year sentence.