Jakarta. A Jakarta court has sentenced five defendants including renowned market analyst Lin Che Wei and a high-level international trade official to jail terms between one and three years for the illegal export of crude palm oil.

The sentences were far below the demands by prosecutors who recommended between seven and 12 years' imprisonment for all defendants, who also include former Trade Ministry's director general of international trade Indrasari Wisnu Wardhana, and three business executives Master Parulian Tumanggor, Stanley MA, and Pierre Togar Sitanggang.

Indra was sentenced to three years in prison and a fine of Rp 100 million for issuing CPO export permit without proper eligibility procedures, according to the verdict read out by Presiding Judge Liliek Prisbawono Adi at the Jakarta Ant-Corruption Court on Wednesday.

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Parulian, the commissioner of plantation firm Wilmar Nabati Indonesia, got 18 months in prison and a similar amount of fine. 

In a separate hearing, the same court handed a sentence of one year in prison and a fine of Rp 100 million to Lin, Musim Mas general manager Pierre, and Victorindo Alam Lestari manager Stanley.

Prosecutors have said that the "illegal" CPO exports have caused a loss of Rp 18.3 trillion to the state because the government had to spend massively to subsidize domestic edible oil prices amid shortages.

Lin was implicated in the case for allegedly recommending CPO export licenses to several companies while serving as an advisor to the coordinating minister for the economy.

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