Anas Urbaningrum Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Corruption
Former Chairman of the Democratic Party (Partai Demokrat, PD) Anas Urbaningrum was sentenced to eight years imprisonment by the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court in Jakarta on Wednesday (24/09). Urbaningrum was found guilty of sustained corruption and repeated money laundering. He was also given a fine of IDR 300 million (USD $25,000). The sentence is much lower than the prosecution’s demand for 15-years imprisonment and therefore it is likely that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will appeal.
Urbaningrum accepted bribes in exchange for handing a friendly company a contract to build a sports training center (Hambalang center). This case also led to the 4-years prison sentence for former Youth and Sport Affairs Minister Andi Mallarangeng in July 2014. The former PD Chairman also rigged other tenders in exchange for money, which he used to finance his campaign to become chairman of the PD.
During the trial Urbaningrum said that Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono (son of incumbent President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono) was one of the high positioned politicians who also benefited from certain illegal financial transactions. However, this allegation has not been substantiated and no charges have been brought against Edhie Baskoro Yudhoyono.