By Rochimawati
JAKARTA
A corruption court in Indonesia's capital Jakarta has sentenced a former Minister of Youth and Sports to four years in prison - as the outgoing government is hit by another scandal.
According to Judge Haswandi, between October 2009 and November 2011 Andi Alfian Mallarangeng and his accomplices unlawfully directed around $720,000 from the contractor of a $122 million sports complex in the West Java village of Hambalang.
Mallarangeng told reporters after the verdict that he was dissatisfied with the decision.
"I understand the decision read by the judges. But I guess because it has not met my sense of justice, therefore I will appeal," he said.
Corruption at the new complex became so endemic that it failed to be completed, the state suffering losses around US$40 million, according to prosecutors.
Mallarangeng - also ordered to pay a fine of almost $18,000 - is the latest politician linked to outgoing President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to be charged with corruption.
Yudhoyono's ruling Democratic Party treasurer and chairman have been caught up in graft scandals, while the country’s religion minister - who is from a different party - also recently quit his post over corruption.
Yudhoyono steps down in October having met the two-term limit.
He will be replaced by either everyman politician Joko "Jokowi" Widodo ahead, or ex-general Prabowo Subianto - both claiming victory after a tightly fought election campaign earlier this months produced quick counts that suggested victory for either candidate.
The result of the real count will be declared by the commission July 22.
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