Team finds 'no evidence' of justice bribery<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Judicial Commission summoned on Tuesday five staff members
\nfrom the Supreme Court and a lawyer for businessman Probosutedjo
\nin a bid to investigate allegations that judges handling
\nProbosutedjo's graft case had received huge bribes.<\/p>\n
Commission members, however, claimed that they had not yet
\nfound sufficient evidence to decide whether or not the judges had
\nabused their authority.<\/p>\n
Chairman Busyro Muqqodas led the seven-member team from the
\ncommission in questioning lawyer Harini Wijoso, and Supreme Court
\nofficials Malem Pagi Sinuhadji, Suhartoyo, Sudi Ahmad, Sriyadi
\nand Pono Waluyo.<\/p>\n
Irawady Joenoes, a commission member, said that the commission
\ndid not question them about their alleged roles in the case.<\/p>\n
\"We haven't found a direct connection between them and the
\njudges. They said that they \"sold\" the names of the judges (to
\nProbosutedjo),\" he explained to reporters after the questioning.<\/p>\n
However, Irawady said that the commission would continue their
\nefforts to get evidence for possible involvement of judges in the
\nbribery case.<\/p>\n
The Judicial Commission's main task is to monitor and
\nsupervise the conduct of judges in the country.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court clerks were arrested after investigators
\nfrom the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) caught them red-
\nhanded receiving bribe money from Harini, who represented
\nProbosutedjo, the half-brother of the country's former
\nauthoritarian president Soeharto, who had been declared guilty by
\nboth the district and high courts for abusing reforestation
\nfunds. He was making an appeal with the Supreme Court when the
\nbribery allegations emerged.<\/p>\n
KPK confiscated some US$400,000 and Rp 800 million, which was
\nallegedly used to bribe the Supreme Court judges, possibly using
\nthe clerks as the middlemen.<\/p>\n
The employees said that Rp 5 billion of the money will be
\ngiven to Chief Justice Bagir Manan, who leads a panel of justices
\nwho heard the appeal case of Probosutedjo, while the rest was for
\ntwo other justices.<\/p>\n
Bagir, as well as justices Parman Suparman and Usman Karim,
\nhave denied the allegations.<\/p>\n
Probosutejo, who admitted that he disbursed a total of Rp 16
\nbillion in bribe money to the judges and prosecutors for a
\nlenient sentence, has been convicted for his involvement in a
\ncase involving reforestation funds that cost the state
\napproximately Rp 100 billion.<\/p>\n
The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced him to four years
\nin jail, which was one year more than that sought by prosecutors,
\nwhile the Jakarta High Court lowered the sentence to two years.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/team-finds-no-evidence-of-justice-bribery-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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