An Indonesian beauty queen-turned-politician has been sentenced to four and a half years in jail for taking bribes worth millions, the latest high-profile case as the country’s watchdog cracks down on corruption.
Australian-born Angelina Sondakh, the former deputy secretary-general of Indonesia’s Democratic Party, was found guilty by the Jakarta Anti-Corruption court on Thursday of taking $1.5 million in kickbacks from universities in exchange for government funding, ABC News reports.
The case is the latest blow to the Democratic Party of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono amid widespread discontent over his efforts to battle corruption.
Instead of heading straight to prison after the verdict, Sondakh, an idolised personality in Indonesia, was allowed to pose for photos, hold an emotional media conference and conduct live interviews with TV stations, who dubbed the case a “verdict for a princess.”
The former Miss Indonesia denied the charges against her and said she was considering appealing the court’s decision, reports the AP.
