VIVAnews - Nurdin Halid was released today, Thursday, 27 November 2008. He was convicted for corruption on the distribution of cooking oil funds on 13 September 2007.
On 13 September 2007, the Supreme Court sentenced Nurdin Halid to two years in jail and Rp 30 million fine or six months additional imprisonment for corruption of cooking oil supply. Nurdin Halid then turned himself in and was then held at Salemba Prison, Central Jakarta, since 18 September 2007.
According to information that VIVAnews gathered from correctional officers at Salemba Prison, Nurdin left the prison at 06.00am. “Too late, he left at 06.00,” said Sandy, a correctional officer, Thursday, 27 Nov.
The prison’s warden, Toga Efendi verified the information. “He got out at 06.00am, and was brought to Bogor. “He will be released later in Bogor,” Efendi stated. According to him Nurdin was taken to Bogor by a correctional officer.
Directorate General of Correctional Facilities spokesperson, Akbar Hadi Prabowo, confirmed Nurdin’s right to be released on parole. “As of today, he has served two-thirds of his time,” he said to VIVAnews, today, 27 Nov.
According to Akbar, the decree had already been issued. Nurdin, he said, has fulfilled all the requirements in order to be released on parole. “He has undergone the process required for being released on parole, he has gone to the parole hearing,” said Akbar.
Nurdin Halid is head of the Indonesian National Football Association (PSSI). As of today, he would no longer run the Indonesian soccer from behind bars.
The release is greeted with enthusiasm by the PSSI management. “This is a good day for us at PSSI,” said PSSI Secretary General Nugraha Besoes to VIVAnews, today, 27 Nov.
According to Nugraha, after his release, Nurdin will be expected to again head the PSSI, “PSSI control is in his hands,” he said.
VIVAnews writers Elin Yunita Kristanti, Yudho Rahardjo and Irvan Beka contributed to this writing.
