Anwar Permana, Jakarta – A sitting legislator from the Prosperous Justice Party was jailed for just one year on Tuesday for forging documents to secure a massive loan from the now-defunct Bank Century. The prosecution had been seeking a jail term of eight years.

Mukhamad Misbakhun is a first-term legislator from the party, also known as the PKS. The Islam-based party, which ran on an anticorruption platform, has continued to support their politician, who was able to amass a considerable wealth when he worked at the Directorate General of Taxation prior to becoming a lawmaker.

The Central Jakarta District Court found him guilty of falsifying documents to help his company, Selalang Prima Internasional, obtain a line of credit from Bank Century worth $22.5 million. He subsequently defaulted on the loan.

"Misbakhun is pronounced guilty of document forgery and accordingly, the defendant is sentenced to one year in jail," Presiding Judge Pramoedhana Kusumaatmadja said. It is unclear how much money, if any, was ordered to be repaid to the state.

The same sentence was handed to fellow defendant Franky Ongkowardjojo, the former director of Selalang. The panel of judges, however, cleared both men of the more serious bank fraud charges.

Prosecutors last month recommended that Misbakhun be jailed for eight years for allegedly collaborating with Robert Tantular, the now-jailed former co-owner of Bank Century, to fabricate documents to show that SPI had put up collateral when it had not.

Speaking after the hearing, Misbakhun said he was disappointed with the verdict, which he indicated was retribution from the government headed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He said the "regime" was committed to punishing him, though he did not elaborate. "We will appeal against today's verdict."

Misbakhun was among the more vocal legislators pushing for the House of Representatives to investigate the government bailout of the ailing bank. Though PKS is a member of the government coalition, it was at the spearhead of attempts to force and inquiry into the bailout.

Prosecutor Teguh Suhendro said he would take a week to decide on the government's stance, but stated he would lodge an appeal if the defendant did so.