Jakarta - An Indonesian court on Wednesday sentenced a legislator from the party of Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono to four-a-half years in prison for accepting bribes.

The anti-corruption court in Jakarta found Sarjan Taher, a lawmaker from the Democratic Party, guilty of accepting 5 billion rupiah (440,000 dollars) in bribe money from a provincial government.

The money was intended to influence lawmakers to approve a project to convert a mangrove forest into a seaport in South Sumatra province, the court said.

Judges also ordered him to pay a fine of 200 million rupiah.

Indonesia ranks as one of the world's most corrupt countries.

Over the past year, the country's powerful Corruption Eradication Commission has arrested several high-profile figures, including a top prosecutor, businessmen and legislators.

Since President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono won Indonesia's first direct presidential election in 2004, officials ranging from governors to former ministers have been jailed on graft charges.

A former Bank Indonesia deputy governor, Aulia Pohan, whose daughter is married to Yudhoyono's son, is due to go on trial on Friday for his alleged involvement in a
100-billion-rupiah embezzlement case that has embroiled the central bank. (dpa)