JAKARTA -- A former Indonesian trade minister turned opposition figure must face trial on corruption charges, a Jakarta judge ruled on Tuesday, in a case being closely watched as a barometer of how new President Prabowo Subianto might try to stifle critics.
Thomas Lembong is accused of corruption in relation to improperly authorizing imports of sugar while serving as trade minister from 2015 to 2016 under former President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo. Prosecutors allege that the state 400 lost billion rupiah ($25.1 million) as a result of these actions, although they have not produced evidence that Lembong benefited personally.
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