Former Mongolian President Nambaryn Enkhbayar was found guilty of graft charges and sentenced to four years in prison, Bloomberg Businesweekly reported, citing a court spokesman.


He has 14 days to appeal the decision.


The Sukhbaatar district court’s decision, which includes an order to confiscate more than 30 million tugriks ($22,206) of Enkhbayar’s property including apartments, was passed at about 10 pm on Wednesday, Amarsaikhan Tumenzorigt, a spokesman for the General Executive Agency of Court Decision, said today by phone in Ulan Bator, Mongolia’s capital.


“This is shocking news,” said Peter Goldsmith, a partner at New York-based Debevoise & Plimpton LLP law firm, who was employed by the family to help with Enkhbayar’s case. There is concern about the court’s approach to evidence and the family will now consider its next action, Goldsmith, a member of the UK’s upper house of parliament and an ex-attorney general, said by phone on Thursday.


The trial of Enkhbayar, who served as president until 2009 and earlier was Mongolia’s prime minister, has divided public opinion in the commodity-rich nation that last year emerged as China’s main supplier of coking coal. Enkhbayar was named the nation’s most prominent politician in a June poll by the Sant Maral foundation.