Reshuffle of judges in Jakarta courts questioned<\/p>\n
Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Justice and Human Rights has issued a ruling
\nintroducing a major reshuffle involving dozens of judges at the
\nfive district courts in Jakarta, some of whom are known for
\nstrong stand against corruption.<\/p>\n
Suyatno, the ministry's director general for state judiciary
\nadministration confirmed the reshuffle on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
However, he refused to reveal the number of judges to be
\ntransferred to several cities across the country.<\/p>\n
\"Yes, we have issued the ruling. It's a merely a tour of
\nduty,\" he told The Jakarta Post over the phone.<\/p>\n
The reshuffled was ordered by the ministry after consultation
\nwith the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n
As many as 10 of the judges are currently serving with the
\nCentral Jakarta District Court. They are M. Saleh, the court's
\nhead, who was just moved to Jakarta last year, I Ketut Gede, Andi
\nSamsan Nganro, Amiruddin Zakaria, Cornel Sianturi, Erwin M.
\nMalau, Pramodhana K. Kusumah Atmadja, Nur Aslam, Asep Irwan
\nIriawan, and Sirande Palayukan.<\/p>\n
The last four are known for their integrity. They are known
\nfor issuing harsh sentence against corruptors and refusing to
\naccept bribes.<\/p>\n
Several other judges are from the South Jakarta District
\nCourt, the East Jakarta District Court, the West Jakarta District
\nCourt and the North Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
The judges are to be moved to the capitals of several
\nprovinces and regencies.<\/p>\n
They will be replaced by judges from various district courts
\noutside Jakarta. Legal observers had earlier asserted that most
\njudges in Jakarta are involved in corruption and extortion in the
\ncourts as they deal with many high-profile cases worth billion of
\nrupiah.<\/p>\n
Many defendants, critics say, pay a sum of money to the judges
\nin a bid to get a reduced sentence or to be exonerated.<\/p>\n
The Central Jakarta District Court made headlines early this
\nyear after a team of three judges exonerated tycoon Samadikun
\nHartono of all charges. Samadikun, who was later sentenced to a
\nfour-year prison term by the Supreme Court, fled justice when the
\nAttorney General's Office attempted to execute the sentence.<\/p>\n
A judge, who refused to be named, said the reshuffle of
\nseveral reputed judges in Jakarta was regrettable.<\/p>\n
\"I know some of the judges are not good. Why doesn't the
\nministry move them as well? Why not move the judges with a
\nquestionable reputation?\" the judge told the Post.<\/p>\n
Several judges in Jakarta, who had violated the judicial code
\nof ethics by accepting money from defendants, are not in the list
\nof judges to be transferred.<\/p>\n
The judge feared that the move would hamper the fight against
\ncorruption and court mafia.<\/p>\n
\"A judge of high repute could not do much toward the country's
\nefforts to eliminate corruption if he is posted in a remote area,
\nwhich rarely get cases, let alone corruption cases,\" the judge
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has often been cited as one of the most corrupt
\ncountry in the world. Unfortunately, most of the corruptors
\nescape justice due to the court mafia.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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