A Jakarta anti-graft court on Thursday sentenced a former agriculture minister to 10 years in prison for extortion and misuse of public funds, raising questions again about outgoing President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s commitment to fight corruption.

Syahrul Yasin Limpo, 69, became the sixth cabinet minister in Jokowi’s two presidential terms to be embroiled in corruption allegations.

Presiding Judge Rianto Adam Pontoh said Syahrul had extorted more than 44 billion rupiah (U.S. $2.75 million) between 2020 and 2023, using the money to buy cars and jewelry, to pay for beauty treatments and family parties or to provide gifts to others.

“The defendant Syahrul Yasin Limpo has been proven legally and convincingly, according to the law, guilty of committing the crime of corruption jointly and continuously,” Rianto ruled.

Court documents said the ex-minister threatened to dismiss his subordinates if they refused to comply with his demand for 20% of the ministry’s budgeted funds, which he used for personal, family and colleagues’ interests.

The judge said the ex-minister had extorted the money through two of his subordinates, Kasdi Subagyono, his secretary general; and Muhammad Hatta, director of the Agricultural Equipment and Machinery directorate. The judge sentenced them to four years each, as well.

While prosecutors had requested a 12-year prison term, the judge issued a more lenient sentence, noting that Syahrul returned some of the money. He also noted the former minister had made a positive contribution in handling the national food crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Syahrul’s lawyer Djamaludidin Koedoeboen said his client had not decided if he would appeal the ruling. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) had named Syahrul as an extortion suspect on Oct. 11, 2023.

After the sentencing, Syahrul apologized to his family, the community and his colleagues in the NasDem Party.

At the start of Syahrul’s trial in February, prosecutor Taufiq Ibnugroho said the former minister appointed trusted people to collect money from his subordinates.

When presenting his case on July 5, Syahrul tearfully claimed to not be very wealthy.

“I am one of the poorest ministers,” he said.

Syahrul’s assets total about 20 billion rupiah (U.S. $1.24 million), according to the government’s state officials wealth report (LHKPN).

Indonesia Corruption Watch researcher Kurnia Ramadhana said he hoped the KPK would continue to develop the case against Syahrul by summoning his family.

“The KPK needs to conduct further investigations. The witness’s statement in the trial that said Syahrul’s family also enjoyed the proceeds of corruption must be taken seriously,” Kurnia told BenarNews.

The case took a bizarre turn in November 2023 when the then-KPK chief,  Firli Bahuri, was suspended – and then fired a month later – after being suspected of demanding bribes from Syahrul in exchange for leniency in the graft case against him.

Firli, a former police general, has also been named a suspect in an extortion case by the Jakarta police.