Council sets up to probe Manulife judges<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Jakarta High Court has established an honorary council of
\nfive judges to investigate three Jakarta Commercial Court judges
\nsuspected of taking bribes to declare PT Asuransi Jiwa Manulife
\nIndonesia bankrupt.<\/p>\n
In a letter signed on Aug. 12, Jakarta High Court chief M.
\nRidwan Nasution appointed Abner Hutagaol, currently Jakarta High
\nCourt deputy chief, as the honorary council's chairman.<\/p>\n
Its members are I Ketut Suradnya from the Jakarta
\nAdministrative Court, Muhammad Saleh from the Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court, Parwoto Wignyosumarto from the Indonesian Judges
\nAssociation (IKAHI), and Maryatmo, also from IKAHI.<\/p>\n
The council has 30 days to investigate three Manulife judges
\n-- Hasan Basri, C.H. Kristi Purnamiwulan, and Cahyono -- and has
\nto reach a conclusion within that period and propose a course of
\naction to the minister of justice and human rights, and the chief
\njustice.<\/p>\n
The three drew waves of domestic and international criticism
\non June 13 when they declared PT Asuransi Jiwa Manulife, the
\nlocal unit of Canadian insurance giant Manulife Financial,
\nbankrupt for failing to pay a dividend to its previous owner PT
\nDharmala Sakti Sejahtera (DSS) in 1999. Manulife had insisted
\nthat the shareholders agreed not to pay any dividends in that
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court later overturned the judges' verdict
\nfollowing strong protests from Ottawa.<\/p>\n
Justice and human rights minister Yusril Ihza Mahendra said
\nearlier that there were "indications of criminal acts" by the
\nthree judges.<\/p>\n
On Aug. 6, President Megawati issued a decree suspending the
\nthree judges based on Government Regulation No. 30\/1980 on civil
\nservice and Government Regulation No. 26\/1991 on procedures for
\nthe removal of judges.<\/p>\n
Abner Hutagaol said on Tuesday he would immediately summon
\ncouncil members to discuss the objectives and technical aspects
\nof the investigation.<\/p>\n
He also said that the Jakarta High Court and Inspectorate
\nGeneral of the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights had already
\ninvestigated the three judges.<\/p>\n
"The results of their investigation will also be used by the
\nhonorary council," he said.<\/p>\n
Abner said the three judges would not accompanied by lawyers
\nduring the investigation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/council-sets-up-to-probe-manulife-judges-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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