KPK told to submit cases to Anticorruption Court

KPK told to submit cases to Anticorruption Court

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Supreme Court reminded the Corruption Eradication Commission
(KPK) on Tuesday to submit high-profile cases to the
anticorruption court, which is now operational.

Supreme Court deputy chief justice Marianna Sutadi said the
court could start hearing cases as President Megawati
Soekarnoputri inaugurated nine noncareer judges last week, in
addition to the six career judges installed earlier.

"The KPK can submit cases anytime, because the court is
ready," she said at her office.

The court will hear corruption cases at the Central Jakarta
District Court in line with Law No. 30/2002 on the antigraft
commission.

"All the judges have undergone special training and the
Central Jakarta District Court will handle the administration of
cases, as it has done for cases heard by the commercial court and
the ad hoc human rights tribunal," she said.

Marianna said there was no reason to delay the operation of
the anticorruption court.

"No coordination (with the KPK) is needed. Just file the case
with the court," she said.

KPK deputy chairman Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean has said the
commission is currently completing the prosecution of two graft
cases, involving officials of the Ministry of Communications and
Aceh Governor Abdullah Puteh.

"We expect to submit at least two cases to the court this
October," he said.

The KPK expects to submit the corruption case involving
communications ministry officials Harun Letlet and Col. Tarsisius
Walla. The two are charged with marking up the cost of
constructing a seaport in Maluku, which caused the state some Rp
10 billion in losses.

The second case involves Puteh, who is suspected of
involvement in an alleged mark up in the purchase of a Russian
helicopter. The graft caused an estimated Rp 4 billion in state
losses.

Anticorruption judges have been installed to hear cases at
district, high and supreme court levels.

A case will be heard by a panel of five judges.

The anticorruption court will only hear high-profile
corruption cases submitted by the KPK.

The KPK only deals with corruption cases that cost the state a
minimum of Rp 1 billion and involve state officials. It is also
obliged to monitor and deter corruption practices across the
country.

Since its establishment in January of this year, the KPK has
been investigating six graft cases.