MA-gate should prompt total judicial probe<\/p>\n
From Republika<\/p>\n
The revelation about the bribes of Rp 6 billion paid to
\nmembers of the Supreme Court (MA), involving the appeal in a Rp
\n100 billion corruption case allegedly perpetrated by conglomerate
\nboss Probosutejo, can be used as important momentum. Moreover, he
\nalso admitted having spent Rp 10 billion in order to get off
\nlightly in the district court and the high court.<\/p>\n
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the Judicial
\nCommission should be able to utilize this momentum to examine all
\nmembers of district\/high court judicial panels involved in and\/or
\npassing verdicts on Probosutejo's reforestation fund graft case.<\/p>\n
The probe conducted by KPK and the Judicial Commission should
\nno be allowed to be swept under the carpet despite the statement
\nmade by Attorney General Abdurrahman Saleh that chief justice
\nBagir Manan -- who is at the center of the bribe allegations --
\nhas not been implicated.<\/p>\n
Likewise, a district court judge, Andi Samsan Nganro, said
\nthat the bribery at the court level was impossible \"because the
\ndistrict court's sentence was just one year longer -- four years
\nin prison instead of three years as demanded by the prosecutor\".<\/p>\n
The four-year imprisonment for involvement in a Rp 100 billion
\ncorruption case is, in fact, too lenient. There might have been
\ncollusion between the prosecutor and the panel of judges so that,
\nwith only three years demanded, one more year was added in order
\nto make the penalty appear \"harsher\".<\/p>\n
Besides, Probosutejo was likely to have spent Rp 10 billion to
\nbribe the lower court judges, but they actually received less
\nthan the amount. The money could have been \"pilfered\" on its way
\nby brokers, who might be his attorneys, court clerks and others.<\/p>\n
KPK should therefore also uncover these things because such
\nbroker fees would never be reported to tax authorities, which is
\ncalled tax evasion.<\/p>\n
It is not surprising that attorneys handling mega-corruption
\ncases are wealthy people, as the amount of money stolen in these
\ncrimes is so huge that the fees for lawyers and brokers plus the
\nbribes for judges (also the police and prosecutors) have to be
\ncomparatively big if the accused wishes to be free or leniently
\ntreated.<\/p>\n
WISDARMANTO Gs
\nJakarta<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ma-gate-should-prompt-total-judicial-probe-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}