JAKARTA, INDONESIA — Setya Novanto, the former speaker of Indonesia’s parliament, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in a $170 million corruption scheme related to the national electronic identity card project.
Novanto was convicted of conspiracy to commit corruption and fined the equivalent of $36,000. This marks the first time he has been convicted in a corruption case, despite being implicated in several scandals since the 1990s.
The conviction stems from Novanto’s role in a scheme to steal a substantial portion of $440 million in government funds designated for the national ID system. According to Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Novanto was arrested in November 2017 after evidence showed he had orchestrated a plan to inflate the cost of the cards, pocketing a third of the project’s budget.
The KPK, regarded as one of Southeast Asia’s most effective anti-corruption agencies, has faced attempts to discredit its work, but its efforts have led to the arrest of several high-ranking officials, including ministers, judges, and members of parliament.
Vice President Jusuf Kalla hailed the ruling, stating, “This is a warning to anybody not to act against the law.”
The sentencing is seen as a significant development in a country where the parliament is frequently ranked among the most corrupt institutions, according to Transparency International. The case has garnered attention for its scale and for the ongoing battle against corruption within Indonesia’s political system.
