Adi Andojo still has job, Chief Justice says

JAKARTA (JP): Justice Adi Andojo Soetjipto still has his job as a deputy of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Sarwata said yesterday.

"He is still one of the Court's deputies. Of course he will be involved in the consolidation effort," Sarwata said after a farewell ceremony for his predecessor Soerjono, at the Supreme Court.

Sarwata was responding to news reports suggesting that Justice Adi has been removed from his position as Deputy Chief for General Crimes.

An unconfirmed report says President Soeharto has signed a letter giving Adi an honorary discharge, and that the letter has been sent to the Supreme Court. Rumors of his dismissal gained currency when Adi cleared his desk and office at the Supreme Court last week.

Sarwata neither confirmed nor denied the existence of the letter.

Justice Adi will still take part in leadership meetings, and in the court's various activities, particularly in helping to clear the huge backlog of cases, Sarwata said.

Justice Adi earned the wrath of former chief justice, Soerjono, earlier this year when he waged a lone campaign to clean up the image of the Supreme Court which he said was beset with collusion practices.

The row between the two men became public knowledge, and Soerjono subsequently petitioned President Soeharto to have Adi removed from the Supreme Court, for insubordination.

The petition was still pending when Soerjono reached the mandatory retirement age of 65, and retired from the Supreme Court on Nov. 1. Adi will turn 65 next April.

Adi was not present at the farewell ceremony yesterday, although Sarwata was quick to play down his absence.

"It might be because Justice Adi is still resting after his recent trip to South Korea," Sarwata explained.

Sarwata, 61, took oath of office for the number one job at the Supreme Court on Nov. 1. The position was awarded to him by presidential decree.

A retired Air Force commodore, Sarwata had previously served as deputy chief justice for military tribunals.

At the same time Th. Ketut Suraputra was appointed vice chief of the Supreme Court. He had previously served as deputy chief justice for state administrative courts.

Both Sarwata and Suraputra, as deputies, signed the petition to have Justice Adi removed.

The Supreme Court comprises a total of 51 justices, including the chief justices and deputies.

But because of retirements this year, there are now only 41 serving justices. The House of Representatives has yet to nominate the 10 replacements.

The Supreme Court has come under heavy pressure to clear up the mounting number of appeal cases.

House Speaker Wahono estimated that 20,000 cases were awaiting hearing at the Supreme Court but Soerjono said it was around 14,000. Sarwata yesterday declined to give a figure.

Purwoto Gandasubrata, chief justice between 1992 and 1994, said yesterday that ideally the Supreme Court would need only 24 justices.

Purwoto said this would only be possible once the Supreme Court cleared up the backlog of cases, and when a regulation designed to limit the number of cases reaching the Supreme Court comes into force. (26)