Former Religious Affairs Minister's Jail Term Increased to 10 Years

Jakarta Globe, June 02, 2016

The Jakarta High Court has increased the prison term for former religious
affairs minister Suryadharma Ali, accused of multiple counts of graft during his
time in office, to 10 years on Thursday (02/06). (Antara Foto/Hafidz Mubarak A.) 

Jakarta. The Jakarta High Court has increased the prison term for former religious affairs minister Suryadharma Ali, accused of multiple counts of graft during his time in office, to 10 years on Thursday (02/06).

The court rejected his appeal against a ruling by the Jakarta Corruption Court in January, which sentenced the former United Development Party (PPP) chairman to six years in prison.

Suryadharma, found guilty of embezzling the country's hajj funds between 2010 and 2013 by awarding hajj quotas and free pilgrimages to friends and family members, was also deprived of his political rights.

"The right of the defendant to assume a public post is revoked for five years starting the end of his prison term," Jakarta High Court spokesman Heru Pramono said.

The court also upheld an order by the Jakarta Corruption Court that Suryadharma, who was found guilty of misusing the ministry's operational funds between 2011 and 2014 for personal use, has to pay a fine of Rp 300 million ($21,900).

The graft cases cost the state more than Rp 27.2 billion in losses.