Collusion issue

Adi Andojo is going to be fired. This is the rumor circulating at the Supreme Court and among journalists whose beat covers this particular judiciary institution. The word is that the chairman of the Supreme Court has proposed to the President that Adi Andojo -- the Supreme Court's deputy chairman for general criminal cases who went public with the alleged corruption -- be dismissed on grounds of "undisciplined" behavior and besmirching the Supreme Court's "good name". Adi Andojo has said he is ready to be dismissed, and only asks that if it actually comes to that he will be given an opportunity to defend himself in front of a board of honor.

Before the rumor of Adi Andojo's dismissal popped up, another, no less disturbing rumor was doing the rounds. People were saying that the findings of the investigation by the Coordinator for Special Control (Korwassus) were not those made public by the Supreme Court's chairman. Supreme Court spokesman Toton Suprapto has already denied these allegations.

Nevertheless, speculation is rife and the rumors won't die. The Supreme Court corruption affair, even though an official denial has been made by the Supreme Court's chairman, is an issue that refuses to go away. The Supreme Court is forced to insist again and again that the findings of the Korwassus investigation are final and that Adi Andojo's call for fresh inquiries will be ignored.

In order to restore the public's trust in the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court corruption case must be thoroughly cleared up. The police and the Prosecutor General's office could easily handle such an investigation. Let the public know who is really telling the truth, the Supreme Court (and Korwassus) or Justice Adi Andojo. If the Supreme Court's version is correct, measures must be taken immediately. Adi Andojo, should he be legitimately and objectively proven wrong, deserves to be penalized. On the other hand, if Adi Andojo was telling the truth, strict measures must also be taken. There is no reason to fear that such measures will damage the Supreme Court's prestige. On the contrary, only by taking strict measures against whoever is at fault can the public's trust in the Supreme Court be restored.

-- Republika, Jakarta