Buloggate II a stale joke?

Buloggate II a stale joke?

From Rakyat Merdeka

A court hearing in a new corruption case involving Bulog non- budgetary funds, in which Akbar Tandjung, Dadang Sukandar and Winfried Simatupang are the defendants with some legal experts having been summoned as expert witnesses, is really cause for deep concern.

At first I thought that the expert witnesses were real experts in their field and could provide objective information without taking sides.

Later, I realized I was really wrong because the so-called expert witnesses were the same as ordinary witnesses. Their information was clearly based on textbooks. They failed to take into account the facts already exposed during the hearing. Besides, they also took the side of the defendants. This has opened my eyes to realize that, if expert witnesses are summoned by the defendant, they will sing to the tune of the defendant, who pays them.

Although I'm not a lawyer and therefore do not know the articles of a law, I'm certain that the law means justice. Everybody is equal before the law.

The expert witnesses have said that in a corruption case if the money siphoned off is returned then the corruptor will be freed of any charges as he is not considered as having inflicted losses to the state. This is tantamount to legalizing corruption, isn't it? If the act of corruption goes undetected, then you're safe, but if it is detected and you return the money, you cannot be charged with corruption.

In the case of petty theft, for example, even when the chicken stolen has been returned, the thief will be beaten black and blue and then taken to court.

Law experts must not only base their advice on textbooks but also on the case at hand.

H. SOEJOEDONO

Jakarta