Former Cilacap District Court Judge Dismissed with Pension Rights for Accepting Bribes
The Judicial Commission (KY) and Supreme Court (MA) held a Judicial Ethics Panel (MKH) hearing against Judge ASS, a Justice Judge at the Yogyakarta High Court. ASS was sentenced to dismissal with pension rights, a lighter penalty than the Supreme Court Oversight Body (Bawas MA) had recommended, which was dismissal without honour.
“The defendant was found guilty of violating Joint Regulation No. 02/PB/MA/IX/2012-02/PB/P.KY/09/2012 between the Supreme Court and Judicial Commission regarding the Enforcement of the Judges’ Code of Ethics and Conduct Guidelines, Article 7(c), concerning upholding dignity. Therefore, a severe penalty of dismissal with pension rights was imposed,” said MKH Chairman Syamsul Maarif, quoted on Tuesday (26 May 2026).
In 2023, while serving at Cilacap District Court, ASS promised a legal counsel, the complainant, to win his case in exchange for money. However, the final ruling did not match the prior agreement.
The complainant then filed another lawsuit on the same matter. To secure a favourable verdict, the complainant sent money twice to the defendant’s husband AW’s account: Rp 1 million and Rp 5 million.
ASS also demanded an additional Rp 15 million. The case was ultimately dismissed as N.O. (Niet Ontvankelijke Verklaard), meaning the claim was inadmissible due to formal defects.
Angry, the complainant demanded the return of the Rp 15 million received. However, ASS only returned Rp 7 million, agreeing that the complainant would file a new lawsuit and receive assistance with the verdict from ASS.
Just before the verdict was announced, ASS requested an additional Rp 10 million to distribute among the panel judges.
According to the Supreme Court Oversight Body’s report, the Cilacap District Court chief stated that ASS frequently caused disturbances and had previously received a severe disciplinary sanction without dismissal for one year. The Oversight Body also found that AW, ASS’s husband and a lawyer, actively solicited money from lawyers in Cilacap.
In his defence, ASS denied all findings from the Oversight Body, stating he never requested money or promised case outcomes.
Regarding the transfers to his husband’s account, ASS claimed ignorance, only learning of it during the Oversight Body’s investigation. His husband stated the received funds were consultation fees, not bribes.
In its ruling, despite ASS denying all Oversight Body findings, the Judicial Ethics Panel partially accepted his defence: mitigating factors included his 23 years of service, young children, and disciplined work ethic. Aggravating factors were his prior severe disciplinary sanctions.
The Judicial Ethics Panel comprised Syamsul Maarif as Chairman, with members from the Supreme Court being Lulik Tri Cahyaningrum and Brigadier General (Retired) Tama Ulinta Tarigan. From the Judicial Commission were Deputy Chair Desmihardi, Members Abhan, F. Willem Saija, and Anita Kadir.