Judge reported for attempted extortion<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A lawyer filed a complaint with Jakarta police on Friday alleging
\na district court judge attempted to blackmail him during a recent
\ncourt case.<\/p>\n
In his complaint, lawyer Wawan Irawan said South Jakarta
\nDistrict Court judge Torang H. Tampubolon, handling a civil case
\ninvolving his client, had demanded money in exchange for a
\nfavorable ruling.<\/p>\n
\"He earlier asked me to give him a cellular phone. My client
\napproved his demand. But we rejected his demand when he asked for
\nRp 3 billion (US$333,333) to rule in favor my client,\" the lawyer
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
His client's company, PT Satya Teguh Persada, was sued by
\nplaintiff PT Asri Kencana Gemilang in a commercial dispute
\ninvolving the Indonesian Bank Restructuring Agency (IBRA) and
\nstate-owned Bank Mandiri.<\/p>\n
On Oct. 24, PT Satya's director Taufik Surya Dharma met
\nTampubolon at Hotel Gran Melia in South Jakarta, at the
\ninsistence of the judge. Tampubolon, still wearing his judge's
\nrobes, offered to help Taufik win the legal suit.<\/p>\n
It was during a second meeting, at the Hotel Mulia in Central
\nJakarta on Dec. 10, that Tampubolon asked for Rp 3 billion.<\/p>\n
Another lawyer representing Taufik, Omay Komayadi, said
\nTampubolon gave his client a day to pay, but he refused.<\/p>\n
The hearing on Dec. 12 was adjourned to Dec. 17, where
\nTampubolon and two other judges ruled in favor of PT Asri. The
\ncourt ordered PT Satya to pay a Rp 43 billion fine.<\/p>\n
Judge Tampubolon has denied the extortion accusations, but
\nfailed to show up in court after the allegations were reported in
\nthe media.<\/p>\n
Chief justice Bagir Manan has ordered his subordinates to
\ninvestigate the case.<\/p>\n
Bribery and extortion are common in the country's judicial
\nsystem that has pave the way for wealthy criminals, mostly
\ncorruptors, to escape justice.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/judge-reported-for-attempted-extortion-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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