Judicial Honour Council dismisses Judge IWS with pension rights

The Judicial Honour Council (MKH), comprising Supreme Court justices and members of the Judicial Commission, has imposed the sanction of permanent dismissal with pension rights on IWS, a judge at the Cilacap District Court. “Imposing a sanction against the reported party of permanent dismissal with pension rights,” stated Chief of the MKH Panel, Supreme Justice Hamdi, in a written statement received in Jakarta on Wednesday. The MKH session, held at the Supreme Court Building on Tuesday, was chaired by Hamdi, with Supreme Court members consisting of Supreme Justices Hari Sugiharto and Sigid Triyono, while the Judicial Commission was represented by Deputy Chairman Desmihardi and members Abhan, F. Williem Saija, and Anita Kadir. The sanction against IWS is lighter than the request from the Supreme Court’s Supervisory Body (Bawas), which recommended a dishonourable discharge. In its legal considerations, the MKH deemed there was no new testimony of value during the session after the Bawas investigation. Referring to a previous case involving Judge ASS, no new facts were found that could lighten the demands against IWS. Meanwhile, mitigating factors included that IWS has family dependents, a wife who does not work, and has served for 33 years as a judge, meaning his status as a civil servant could still be maintained. “Deciding, first, to partially accept the reported party’s self-defence. Second, to amend the Service Note of the Chairman of the Bawas Chamber against reported party IWS to a severe sanction in the form of releasing the reported party from the position of judge,” said Hamdi. The reported judge, IWS, who before the hearing was seconded as a judicial judge at the Central Java High Court, in 2023 while serving at the Cilacap District Court received money amounting to Rp15 million from an advocate in a case he was handling as a substitute judge. IWS also attempted to arrange a meeting outside the court between one of the litigants and a panel chairman, namely Judge ASS, who had already been sanctioned with permanent dismissal with pension rights at an MKH Session on 26 May 2026. Furthermore, IWS also promised to assist in case handling by requesting and borrowing money from advocates in Cilacap. According to the investigation report from Bawas, it was revealed that IWS also committed immoral acts unbecoming of a judge as they demean the dignity of the office. In his defence, IWS confirmed that he had received Rp15 million from the litigating advocate. However, he admitted that he had returned part of the money before being examined by Bawas. IWS also did not deny attempting to bring one of the litigants to meet Judge ASS on grounds of friendship, but upon arriving at ASS’s official residence, ASS’s spouse sent IWS away. IWS admitted to a momentary lapse of judgement and claimed this was his first such act. IWS acknowledged only ever borrowing Rp2-3 million from an advocate, claiming the money was used to pay for his sick parent’s medical treatment, and insisted the debt had been repaid. Regarding promising to handle cases for advocates in exchange for money, IWS claimed it was merely a joke and never actually occurred. “I admit my mistakes and my lapse, and I beg to be given the lightest possible punishment. I apologise for all my errors and lapses,” said IWS in closing his defence.