Buenos Aires, December 1 (RHC)-- A Buenos Aires criminal court has sentenced former Argentinian President Carlos Menem to four years and six months in prison for illegal “bonus payments” while in office.

According to Tuesday morning's edition of The Buenos Aires Herald, Menem was sentenced along with former Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo, who was given three years and six months in prison.

The offenses were committed between 1989 and 1999, when Carlos Menem and six other co-defendants were accused of abusing public funds.

The court presided over by Judge Oscar Bertuzzi also gave former-Minister Raúl Granillo Ocampo three years and three months in jail.

The same court acquitted former Environment Secretary María Julia Alsogaray, as well as former officials Raúl Castellini, Heriberto Baeza González, José Torzillo, Enrique Kaplan and José Coronel.