[Klorissana]

Corrupt Indonesian Taxman Gets 7 Years In Prison

Posted: Jan 19, 2011 7:08 AM

JAKARTA, Indonesia - An Indonesian taxman caught bribing his way out of prison and watching an tennis tournament while wearing a wig was sentenced to seven years behind bars for corruption Wednesday, angering many in a nation fed up with graft.

Prosecutors had demanded a prison sentence several times that.

Gayus Tambunan, a low-ranking taxman who paid off officials and helped falsify documents, admitted during his five-month trial to pocketing at least $2.7 million from dozens of big companies so they wouldn't have to pay the state.

According to one estimate, he cost the government more than $700 million in lost revenues. But it was the alleged involvement of everyone from senior police and immigration officials to prosecutors and judges that captured attention in the nation of 237 million.

His sheer audacity made him a favorite topic on social networking sites: Authorities confirmed Tambunan had bribed his way out of prison at least 68 times since his arrest almost one year ago.

That revelation was made after he was photographed watching a tennis match on the resort island of Bali, clumsily disguised in a black wig and sunglasses.

Tambunan, 31, has since been accused of paying $100,000 for false passports to go to Macau and Singapore so he could gamble and shop. The verdict by Albertine Ho, presiding judge of the South Jakarta District Court, was read live on all major television and radio stations.

"The defendant has been found guilty of corruption ... and of giving false information about the amount of money he amassed," Ho said, giving him seven years behind bars and a fine of $30,000. She said the 20 years demanded by prosecutors was too high because he had not been acting alone.

Indonesia has only recently emerged from the 32-year dictatorship of Gen. Suharto, whose family was accused of graft to the tune of $600 million.