/2023/09/25/416568778p.jpg)
LAW & COURT - JAKARTA. An Indonesian court sentenced a former senior tax officer on Monday to 14 years in prison on corruption charges after reports of his exorbitant wealth caused public distrust and triggered a boycott against paying taxes.
Judges at the Central Jakarta court found that Rafael Alun Trisambodo had received about 10 billion rupiah in kickbacks. Prosecutors had said he obtained the money between 2002 and 2013.
Read Also: Indonesia Presidential Frontrunner Under Fire as Rivals Attack Defence Plans
The country's anti-graft agency, which arrested Rafael last year, had said the kickbacks came from taxpayers via a consultancy group he founded to resolve their tax disputes.
Judge Suparman Nyompa said Rafael was guilty of receiving kickbacks and money laundering.
Junaedi Saibih, Rafael's lawyer, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Rafael, who had previously denied wrongdoing, said in court he was considering an appeal.
A tax office spokesperson said that it honoured the ruling.
Rafael's case followed public outrage on social media over government officials seen to be flaunting their wealth and lavish lifestyles.
Read Also: Philippines Enacts New Law that Makes Paying Taxes Easier
Finance minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati sacked Rafael and probed several civil servants last year, sparking calls among citizens to stop paying taxes.
According to global graft watchdog Transparency International, Indonesia dropped four points on its corruption perception index in 2022 to 110th out of 180 countries.
