JAKARTA (Yosefardi) – Senior comedian Mandra Naim has been sentenced to one year in prison by panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday (Dec. 17).
Mandra, however, will likely walk free from prison in the coming months as he has been detained for nine months at the Cipinang penitentiary.
Commenting to the court’s verdict, Mandra said he’s thinking on whether or not to file an appeal to challenge the verdict.
Previously, Mandra has been named as one of two suspects in a graft case related to broadcast programs aired by state-owned television station TVRI which funded by the 2012 state budget (APBN).
Mandra’s company, PT Viandra Production, was among eight companies provided fifteen broadcast programs to TVRI. According to the Attorney General Office (AGO), there was allegation of mark up committed by Mandra’s company that caused more than Rp10 billion of state losses.
Mandra, however, repeatedly expressed his beliefs that he’s not guilty. (haryantosuharman@yosefardi.