Jakarta – An Indonesian court has jailed dozens of town councillors in West Sumatra for pocketing millions of dollars meant for municipal services, a court official said yesterday.

Judges sentenced 43 members of the 55-seat council in Padang on Monday to 24 to 27 months' jail for misusing the equivalent of US$7.2 million (S$12.4 million) from the city's 2002 Budget, the official said.

In recent years, police had cracked down on corrupt politicians, but this case marked the first time a large number of lawmakers were convicted.

The councillors remained free pending appeals to a higher court, the court official said.

A Padang community group first brought the case to public attention last year, prompting activists to hail citizen efforts to curb corruption.