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Prosecutors on Wednesday asked the Anti-Corruption Court to sentence former member of the House of Representatives Abdul Hadi Djamal to five years in jail for his role in a Rp 3 billion ($318,000) bribery case.

The former National Mandate Party (PAN) lawmaker allegedly accepted bribe money in exchange for securing a seaport construction contract for PT Kurnia Jaya Wirabhakti, a company owned by businessman Hontjo Kurniawan.

The contract would have been included as part of a stimulus package discussed in the House.

“The defendant tarnished the reputation of the House of Representatives,” said Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor Anang Supriatna. Prosecutors requested the court also fine Abdul Hadi Rp 200 million or sentence him to an additional six months in jail.

Abdul Hadi was arrested in a sting operation in March and subsequently resigned from his party ahead of the April legislative election.

After Wednesday’s session, Abdul Hadi told reporters that the prosecution’s sentencing demands were too harsh and reiterated his claim that the scandal’s true mastermind was Johnny Allen Marbun, a lawmaker from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party.

“I am just a mediator, the money was all for him,” Abdul Hadi said. “I am disappointed the prosecutors did not even mention Johnny’s role in the case in their final argument.”

Abdul Hadi has claimed that the request for the money came from Johnny, who co-chaired the House budget committee.

Abdul Hadi also claims he gave Rp 1 billion to Johnny through an assistant named Resko. The Democratic legislator has said he never accepted any money and that he did not have an assistant named Resko.

Prosecutors did acknowledge Abdul Hadi’s claim that Rp 1 billion was given to Johnny but said it was “irrelevant.”

“In this trial, we just want to focus on Abdul Hadi,” Anang said.

The defense is scheduled to present its arguments when the trial resumes next week. Nivell Rayda