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Aformer maritime affairs and fisheries minister was released from Cipinang prison in East Jakarta on Wednesday afternoon after the Supreme Court cut his jail term by two years and six months, making him eligible for parole.

Rokhmin Dahuri, an independent politician who had close links to the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), was convicted of graft in July 2007 and sentenced to seven years and fined Rp 200 million ($21,000). The Supreme Court accepted his case review last week and cut his jail sentence by two years and six months.

He was welcomed by dozens of fishermen and student supporters outside the prison.

Before leaving the prison, Rokhmin held a thanksgiving party, which was attended by several prominent figures, including People’s Consultative Assembly Chairman Taufik Kiemas, from the PDI-P, and former Golkar Party Chairman Akbar Tanjung.

“This shows that not all graft cases are turned down by the Supreme Court,” Rokhmin said, adding that he was planning to lead a normal life after leaving prison. “After this I will live as usual, fishing, teaching and doing research.”

The Anti-Corruption Court found Rokhmin guilty of misusing his power to illegally collect and use Rp 11.5 billion from his ministry’s regional offices.

The ruling was upheld by a panel of judges at the appellate level. Rokhmin then filed for a case review with the Supreme Court, which reduced his prison term by two years and six months, thus making him eligible for parole.

Chandran Lestyono, a spokesman for the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights’s Directorate General of Penitentiaries, said that Rokhmin had qualified for parole.

“He met the criteria. He has been convicted and served two-thirds of his sentence,” he said. “He also showed exemplary conduct while in prison.”

Antara