KPK must probe possible collusion in Akbar acquittal: Lawyer

Kurniawan Hari The Jakarta Post Jakarta

The newly-formed Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) should investigate possible collusion in the acquittal of Golkar chairman Akbar Tandjung on corruption charges, a senior lawyer says.

Todung Mulya Lubis said here on Thursday he believed there had been attempts to conceal the involvement of Akbar in the scandal involving Rp 40 billion (US$4.7 million) funds of the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).

"The KPK must dare to take the initiative to launch an investigation into possible abuses in the acquittal," he told a discussion organized by the Amien Rais Center (ARC).

Akbar, who is also speaker of the House of Representatives (DPR), was acquitted of corruption charges on Thursday last week, overturning the guilty verdict issued by two lower courts.

Both the Central Jakarta District Court and the Jakarta High Court had declared Akbar guilty of corruption and sentenced him to three years in jail.

KPK chairman Taufiqurrahman Ruki said earlier his commission would wait for people to provide evidence of irregularities in the trial.

Article 6(c) of Law No.30/2002 establishing the KPK says that the commission's task is to investigate and prosecute corruption.

Article 11 defines corruption as financial abuses involving law enforcers, state officials, and those linked to corruption conducted by law enforcers or state officials.

Todung, who is also a noted human rights campaigner, said the KPK should investigate to give the public some faith in the judicial system.

"The KPK must take action and the Supreme Court must give public access into documents relating to the acquittal of Akbar," he said.

Fellow campaigner Munir, of Indonesia Human Rights Watch, doubted the KPK would be ready to fulfill the people's demand for an investigation.

"The recruitment of KPK members was questionable. So, we should not expect too much from the commission," he said.

Munir said the Supreme Court had alienated itself from the public by acquitting Akbar.

The acquittal of Akbar, while it was a political reality, could not be justified legally. The acquittal, he said, reflected badly on the court's independence, justice and accountability.

"The chance is still there for the public to examine the verdict," he said.

Todung said he understood why other political parties did not speak out about the embezzlement of Bulog's funds. Many of those parties were also implicated in the scandal, he said.

The case centered on Rp 40 billion in state funds that were distributed by then minister/state secretary Akbar in 1999 to finance a food-for-the-poor program.

The Supreme Court upheld the guilty verdicts of two other defendants in the case -- Winfried Simatupang and Dadang Ruskandar -- who are now serving their jail terms at the Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta.