Indonesia court jails former trade minister for four-and-a-half years in sugar graft case

Former trade minister Thomas Lembong was found guilty of improperly granting sugar import permits. -- PHOTO: REUTERS

JAKARTA (Reuters): An Indonesian court on Friday sentenced a former trade minister to 4.5 years in jail for improperly granting sugar import permits that authorities said had caused nearly 600 billion rupiah (US$36.84 million) in state losses.

Thomas Trikasih Lembong served as trade minister in 2015 and 2016 under President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. Once seen as Jokowi's close aide, Lembong turned into one of the government's staunchest critics after leaving office.