An Indonesian anti-graft activist working for the United Nations was sentenced to one year in jail Thursday for stealing relief aid intended for the victims of December tsunami in Aceh province.

Farid Faqih, who has always denied any criminal intent, said he would appeal. "I don't feel I have done a wrong thing in this case," he told the court. "I was just trying to ensure the donated goods were not lost."

Faqih, who had accused the military of corruption, was arrested a month after the Dec. 26 tsunami. In March, a solider was sentenced to three months in jail for beating Faqih up in detention.

The 51-year-old Faqih was working for the UN's World Food Program in Aceh when he was arrested at Banda Aceh's airport.

Judges at Jantho, a town close to the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, said Faqih was "found guilty of violating criminal law by taking goods owned by other people or party without their consent."

Earlier, the court had heard how Faqih had taken relief supplies – including generators and clothing – and stored them in a warehouse in Jantho. The military said then that some of the goods were donated by the families of soldiers in Jakarta and were to be given to army families affected by the disaster.

The case has highlighted concerns that relief money could end up in the pockets of corrupt, greedy government officials. Some anti-graft activists predict that as much as a third of the estimated US$6 billion in pledged donations for the 11 affected countries could be siphoned off.