Ouagadougou: Former Indonesian Minister of Agriculture, Syahrul Yasin Limpo, was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for embezzling more than $900,000 in public funds, part of which was used to pay jewelry and beauty treatments for his wife.

Syahrul Yasin Limpo, minister from 2019 to 2023, was found guilty by a Jakarta court of ordering his ministry officials to transfer money to him from state coffers.

Former governor of South Sulawesi, “the accused was found guilty of committing a criminal act of corruption”, declared the president of the court who sentenced him to 10 years in prison, less than the 12 years which had been required.

The 69-year-old former minister had spent more than $900,000 (830,000 euros) of public money, notably on jewelry and beauty treatments for his wife.

The court sentenced him to a fine of 300 million rupees (17,500 euros) and to repay the funds. Otherwise, his property will be seized.

The court also sentenced two former senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to 4
years in prison.

The three men have seven days to appeal.

Many public officials have been arrested in Indonesia in recent years on corruption charges.

In November, a former communications minister was sentenced to 15 years in prison for corruption in a case that cost the country more than $500 million (EUR 460 million).

In 2021, a former social affairs minister was sentenced to 12 years in prison for accepting $1.2 million (EUR 1.1 million) in bribes linked to food aid for affected poor families by the coronavirus pandemic.

Source: Burkina Information Agency