Attorney General's Office Disciplines Karo Chief Prosecutor in Amsal Sitepu Case, DPR: A Lesson for All Prosecutors

Member of DPR RI Commission III, Hinca Panjaitan, has commended the Attorney General’s Office and the North Sumatra Attorney General’s Office for securing the Chief Prosecutor of Karo, Dante Rajagukguk, along with several prosecutors involved in handling the case of videographer Amsal Sitepu. Hinca views this action by the Attorney General’s Office as a response to widespread public demands for justice. He hopes the incident serves as a severe warning to all law enforcement officials in Indonesia to operate within the bounds of the law. “Yes, I think the Attorney General’s Office has responded. I appreciate it, and it is indeed the voice of the public, our collective voice. Hopefully, it becomes a lesson for everyone, not just for them, but for all,” said Hinca at the Parliamentary Complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (6/4). This politician from the Democrat Party emphasised that Commission III of DPR RI bears significant responsibility in ensuring professional law enforcement, particularly with the implementation of the new Criminal Procedure Code. According to him, strict supervision is necessary to prevent deviations in case handling from recurring. “Moreover, with this new Criminal Procedure Code, it is our duty to oversee its proper implementation. Once again, I appreciate the Attorney General’s Office and the North Sumatra Attorney General for responding to this,” he stressed. Furthermore, Hinca leaves the internal examination of the Karo Chief Prosecutor and other prosecutors regarding alleged ethical violations in handling the case entirely to the Attorney General’s Office. He believes the discussions held in previous Commission III DPR meetings provide a comprehensive basis for evaluation. “Yes, I think it was clear yesterday. Let us give the Attorney General’s Office the opportunity to carry out its duties. I think yesterday’s discussion was very complete. Let us give them time to work,” he said. Regarding the sanctions to be imposed on the Karo Chief Prosecutor and his team, this legislator from North Sumatra entrusts the mechanism fully to the prosecutorial authorities in accordance with applicable provisions. “We leave it to them,” he concluded. Previously, the Attorney General’s Office reportedly took security measures against the Karo Chief Prosecutor and several public prosecutors after the Amsal Sitepu case sparked public controversy. Amsal Sitepu himself is a videographer who was detained for 131 days but was ultimately sentenced to acquittal by the Kabanjahe District Court as he was not proven guilty. The Attorney General’s Office is urged not only to focus on the videographer Amsal Sitepu case but also to check other detainees handled by the Karo District Prosecutor’s Office in North Sumatra. This step follows the polemic in handling the videographer Amsal Sitepu case, which has drawn sharp scrutiny, including from Commission III of DPR RI. Member of Commission III DPR RI, Abdullah, stated that Karo Chief Prosecutor Danke Rajagukguk issued a letter for intervention in the suspension of detention in the Amsal Christy Sitepu case. The North Sumatra Attorney General’s Office examined the Karo Chief Prosecutor and the Head of Special Crimes Section regarding allegations of intimidation against Amsal Sitepu through the ‘Bronis Cokelat’ modus. After being sentenced to acquittal by the Medan District Court in North Sumatra, videographer Amsal Christy Sitepu participated in a public hearing (RDPU) at Commission III DPR RI in Jakarta on Thursday (2/4).