43 Indonesian councillors convicted of taking graft

A court here sentenced West Sumatra Legislative Council Speaker Arwan Kasri, his two deputies and 40 other councillors on Monday to up to two years and three months in prison for embezzling Rp 6.4 billion (US$711,111) of the province's 2002 budget.

All the 43 convicts of the 55-strong council remain free however, as they have appealed. It was the first verdict handed down for a collective graft scam involving legislative members in the country.

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Arwan and his two deputies Masfar Rasyid and Titi Nazif Lubuk were found guilty by the Padang District Court of embezzling the funds along with 40 other councillors.