Ex Mayor Faces Five Years Jail Sentence

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Semarang city's (Central Java province) former mayor Soemarmo Hadi Saputro faces a five-year jail sentence on an alleged bribery case that also involves members of the Semarang legislative council (DPRD).

"We have asked the judge to sentence the defendant for five years in jail along with levying a Rp250 million fine," revealed prosecutor KMS Roni at the Jakarta's Corruption Court here on Monday.

According to the prosecutor, Soemarmo has violated Regulation number 20/2001 of the Corruption Act. The prosecutor said that Soemarmo had ordered Semarang city's secretary Akhmat Zainuri to distribute Rp340 million in bribe money to members of Semarang legislative council. In return, the members of legislative council acquiesced to not hinder the discussion on regional budget policy.

The prosecutor also accused Soemarmo and his secretary Zainuri Akhmat of bribing members of regional legislative council in order to agree on a proposal for additional income during the local government's employee year of 2012.

Responding to prosecutor's demand, Soemarmo said that he will submit a defense plea in the next court session. The Court will resume next Monday (August 6).

Earlier, the judge at the Corruption Court in Semarang city had sentenced Zaenuri Akhmat to one year and six months in prison. The former mayor must also pay a fine of Rp50 million to avoid two more months in prison.(IGT)