(Reuters) - Indonesia jailed on Tuesday a former official at the anti-monopoly agency for four-and-a-half years for receiving bribes linked to the awarding of broadcast rights for the English Premier league, judges said on Tuesday.Mohammad Iqbal was found by the court to have received a bag containing 500 million rupiah ($48,970) from a businessman, Billy Sindoro, at a luxury hotel in Jakarta.
"I declare the defendant under the law convincingly has carried out a crime of corruption," Edward Pattinasarani, the head of a panel of judges, told the corruption court.
Another judge, I Made Hendra, said the defendant received the money to influence the monopoly agency's decision.
"The defendant should have rejected the meeting request from witness Billy Sindoro," Hendra said.
Iqbal was also fined 200 million rupiah.
Indonesia's anti-graft agency, known as KPK, had said it suspected the money was paid in relation to a decision taken by the anti-monopoly agency, or KPPU, regarding Direct Vision, partly owned by First Media, a unit of tycoon James Riady's Lippo Group.
In August 2008, the KPPU ruled that Direct Vision had not violated Indonesia's anti-monopoly law in a case related to TV broadcast rights for the English Premier League between 2007-2010, according to KPPU's website (www.kppu.go.id).
The case has cast doubt on the credibility of decisions made by KPPU, which was established about nine years ago.
The agency was involved in a ruling in 2007 forcing Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings and its affiliates to sell one of their telecom units in Indonesia.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is seeking a second term in office in July, has made tackling corruption in one of the world's most graft-prone nations a key part of his platform. (Additional reporting by Telly Nathalia; Writing by Ed Davies)
"The defendant should have rejected the meeting request from witness Billy Sindoro," Hendra said.
Iqbal was also fined 200 million rupiah.
Indonesia's anti-graft agency, known as KPK, had said it suspected the money was paid in relation to a decision taken by the anti-monopoly agency, or KPPU, regarding Direct Vision, partly owned by First Media, a unit of tycoon James Riady's Lippo Group.
In August 2008, the KPPU ruled that Direct Vision had not violated Indonesia's anti-monopoly law in a case related to TV broadcast rights for the English Premier League between 2007-2010, according to KPPU's website (www.kppu.go.id).
The case has cast doubt on the credibility of decisions made by KPPU, which was established about nine years ago.
The agency was involved in a ruling in 2007 forcing Singapore state investor Temasek Holdings and its affiliates to sell one of their telecom units in Indonesia.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who is seeking a second term in office in July, has made tackling corruption in one of the world's most graft-prone nations a key part of his platform. (Additional reporting by Telly Nathalia; Writing by Ed Davies)
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