Friday, October 8, 2010

KPK Leaders' Judicial Review Denied


The Supreme Court today rejected the Judicial Review for the Bribery Case of two Deputy Chairmen of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Bibid Riyanto and Chandra Hamzah.

Please find below a news report that I have quoted from The Jakarta Post.

With this rejection, trial of Bibit and Chandra, which was stopped by the Attorney General Office but then challenged by the Defendant, should now be resumed.

KPK leaders face detention as court rejects case review motion      

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Fri, 10/08/2010 4:37 PM | Headlines

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputies Bibit Rianto and Chandra Hamzah are facing imminent detention after the Supreme Court has turned down Friday their motion for a review of their bribery case.

The two KPK leaders had previously defied the Jakarta High Court’s ruling which declared the state prosecutors’ decision to suspend their bribery case illegal. The high court’s verdict should have been enough to send Bibit and Chandra to jail pending their trial, but they challenged the ruling by demanding a case review, which many consider a bad precedent for law enforcement in the country.

Bibit and Chandra were quick to consult their lawyer to find legal measures to keep them from prison for the second time.

“I am leaving for the KPK office. Later I will disclose legal measures that we will take,” Taufik Basari, one of the KPK leaders’ lawyers, said as quoted by kompas.com.

The Attorney General’s Office dropped bribery and abuse of power charges leveled on the two KPK leaders for sociological reasons. Bribery suspect Anggodo Widjojo then contested the policy in court, insisting that Bibit and Chandra received bribes from him.

Anggodo was sentenced to four years in jail after the court found him guilty of obstructing a KPK investigation and attempting to bribe KPK officials.

Tape recordings of conversation between Anggodo and several senior police officer and prosecutors played in a Constitutional Court hearing revealed that the bribery and abuse of power charges leveled on Bibit and Chandra were orchestrated.

Bibit and Chandra were arrested under the false charges, but were released a few days later following mounting public pressures.

Anggodo’s lawyer, Bonaran Situmeang, said Friday both Bibit and Chandra had no more reason to avoid detention as the Supreme Court had stated that their trial for alleged bribery and abuse of power should go ahead.

“Never treat them as prophets so that they can evade prison. The state prosecutors should detain them for the sake of equality before the law,” he said.

9 comments:

asadisae said...

hopefully, the truth emerged in Indonesia with such problems quickly resolved bibit and candra...

Unknown said...

Asadisae,
Yes, if that happens, then justice shall prevail.

Rob Baiton said...

@ Harry...

Ho hum! Don't kid yourself on the justice front! How long do some people need to wait in order that justice prevails?

Unknown said...

Hi Rob,
I'd like to be positive and hope that justice shall prevail soon.

colson said...

Here we go again...

Maybe we should be happy with the courts perseverance. And of course equality before the law is a sacred principle.

Why is it then that this news leaves causes a bad taste in my mouth and do smell bad odours?

colson said...

OMG. All typo's. So let's try once more:

"Here we go again...

Maybe we should be happy with the court's perseverance. And of course equality before the law is a sacred principle.

Why is it then that this news causes bad taste in my mouth and do I smell bad odours?"

Unknown said...

Colson,
As corruption fighters, KPK has lots of enemies who wish to eradicate it one of which is the person who challenged the dismissal of prosecution against Bibit-Chandra i.e Anggodo.

Rob Baiton said...

equality before the law is a 'sacred' principle. Yet, it beggars belief that of the 50+ justices on the Indonesian Supreme Court there are seemingly none who see that this is not about equality before the law per se.

This case has been a fabrication from the outset that involved organised crime, the police, public prosecutors, and now seemingly the courts intent on shutting down anti-corruption efforts.

Harry, I hope you are right!

Indonesia deserves better than this ongoing farce. Chandra and Bibit deserve better!

Unknown said...

Hi Rob,
I agree with you. Only that I see the Supreme Court as a sick person that need cure. Therefore needs doctor, medicament and extreme patience.
For that reason I still hope for changes.