PROSECUTION DEMANDS THREE YEARS FOR AZIRWAN WHO BRIBED LEGISLATOR

Jakarta, Aug 11 (ANTARA) - Public prosecutors demanded three years imprisonment for Azirwan, secretary of the Bintan district administration in Riau Islands, during a Corruption Court session on the bribery case involving legislator Al Amin Nur Nasution here on Monday.

Public prosecutors Suwardji, I Kadek Wiradana, Edi Hartoyo and Nanang Suriyatna in their arguments read out in the Corruption Court said that Azirwan had committed corruption as defined in Article 5 point 1, letter a, of Law No 31 / 1999 on Eradication of Corruption.

The public prosecutors also demanded that the defendant be fined Rp150 million in lieu of four months in solitary confinement.

In their arguments, the prosecutors said that Azirwan had given money to Al Amin Nur Nasution as a bribe for changing the function of a protected forest in Bintan island.

The forest conversion should have gained the approval of a joint independent team of the forestry ministry and other independent agencies.

After the team had given its approval, the conversion of the forest should also get a recommendation from Commission IV of the House of Representatives (DPR).

In his previous testimony, Azirwan said he had given Rp100 million to Al Amin Nasution on December 2, 2007 for the visit of four members of DPR to India.

Azirwan also provided Rp150 million for Nasution for the visit of a number of members of Commission IV of the DPR to Bintan.

Besides, Al Amin also received 150,000 Singapore dollars on January 25, 2008. Al Amin again received the same amount on April 7, 2008.