JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Ratna Dewi Umar, graft defendant and former Director of Medical Services of Health Ministry, was sentenced to five years imprisonment on Monday (Sep 2) for corruption act.

This corruption, on procurement projects of avian influenza medical equipments at the Health Ministry in 2006-2007 period, resulted in state loses worth Rp50.4 billion.

The Corruption Court in Jakarta, also ordered Ratna to pay Rp500 million which can be substituted with three months imprisonment.

According to the panel of judges led by Nawawi Pomolango, Ratna has found guilty for violating Article 3 of the Corruption Law.

Panel of judges has mentioned two companies which benefitted from corruption committed by Ratna. They are PT Rajawali Nusindo and PT Kimia Farma Trading.

Besides Ratna, this graft case has dragged a lot of hig-profile names, including former Health Minister of President SBY’s administration, Siti Fadilah Supari.

KPK has examined Siti Fadilah, who currently serves as member of President SBY’s Advisory Council, for twice for her involvement allegation in this corruption case. The last examination was held in March 27, 2012 following her first examination in April 11, 2011.

In a related development, the National Police had named Siti Fadilah as suspect in the same case last year. However, there is no significant progress so far. Some believed that Police’s maneuver by also handling the case is a strategy to block KPK’s investigation over Siti Fadilah. (haryantos@yosefardi.biz)