'Let Adi prove his mettle': Lawyer
'Let Adi prove his mettle': Lawyer
JAKARTA (JP): Justice Adi Andojo Soetjipto, who raised clamor
over alleged collusion and corruption at the Supreme Court,
should be given a chance to prove his mettle, a prominent lawyer
has suggested.
Justice Adi should replace Chief Justice Soerjono, who is
nearing pension-age, on the condition that he rid the Court of
collusion within a year, said Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan. "If he
fails, then he should resign altogether," Luhut said yesterday.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono disclosed last week that
Soerjono had written to President Soeharto requesting that Adi be
dismissed. The latter was considered to have tarnished the
Supreme Court's name when he went public with his allegation that
the Court was rife with collusion.
An internal investigation team had earlier completed its
examination, reporting to the President that they found no
evidence to back Adi's allegations. Soeharto, who is currently
undergoing a medical checkup in Germany, was reported to have
been seriously studying Soerjono's request.
A number of legal experts have said that the request violated
official procedures on senior judges' dismissal. The 1985 law on
the Supreme Court empowers the President to discharge, honorably
or otherwise, members of the court at the chief justice's
recommendation. The grounds for termination may be at the request
of the justice concerned, or because of age (65 years old),
physical illness, or an inability to carry out duties.
Luhut, who is a leading member of the Indonesian Bar
Association, said his proposal is based on the fact that Soerjono
will retire soon.
Chief Justice Soerjono will turn 65 this October. Adi, who
turned 64 last April, appears to be healthy and -- despite
mounting pressure -- has not voiced any intention to step down.
Luhut said he believed that, should his suggestion be carried
out, polemics on the issue would cease, while the President would
be freed from the burden of having to make the difficult
decision.
"If Justice Adi is really a Mr. Clean and is determined to
wipe out collusion from the Supreme Court, then the one-year
chance will be his test," Luhut said.
Separately, legal expert J.E. Sahetapy called on Chief Justice
Soerjono to resign.
"Whether or not the President agrees to his request, it's the
chief justice who should resign," the professor of law at the
Surabaya-based Airlangga University said.
He said that Soerjono had not been straightforward in his
explanation about a document fraud case, whose defendant was
acquitted of all charges, according to Adi, by colluding judges.
Sahetapy predicted that Soeharto would just let Soerjono's
request sit and wait until the chief justice reached his
retirement age. "This decision would save Soerjono's face," he
said.
"I don't think Pak Harto would respond to the request before
Soerjono's retirement. Who knows? The President might even defer
making a decision until after the 1997 general elections," he
said. (06)
JAKARTA (JP): Justice Adi Andojo Soetjipto, who raised clamor
over alleged collusion and corruption at the Supreme Court,
should be given a chance to prove his mettle, a prominent lawyer
has suggested.
Justice Adi should replace Chief Justice Soerjono, who is
nearing pension-age, on the condition that he rid the Court of
collusion within a year, said Luhut M.P. Pangaribuan. "If he
fails, then he should resign altogether," Luhut said yesterday.
Minister/State Secretary Moerdiono disclosed last week that
Soerjono had written to President Soeharto requesting that Adi be
dismissed. The latter was considered to have tarnished the
Supreme Court's name when he went public with his allegation that
the Court was rife with collusion.
An internal investigation team had earlier completed its
examination, reporting to the President that they found no
evidence to back Adi's allegations. Soeharto, who is currently
undergoing a medical checkup in Germany, was reported to have
been seriously studying Soerjono's request.
A number of legal experts have said that the request violated
official procedures on senior judges' dismissal. The 1985 law on
the Supreme Court empowers the President to discharge, honorably
or otherwise, members of the court at the chief justice's
recommendation. The grounds for termination may be at the request
of the justice concerned, or because of age (65 years old),
physical illness, or an inability to carry out duties.
Luhut, who is a leading member of the Indonesian Bar
Association, said his proposal is based on the fact that Soerjono
will retire soon.
Chief Justice Soerjono will turn 65 this October. Adi, who
turned 64 last April, appears to be healthy and -- despite
mounting pressure -- has not voiced any intention to step down.
Luhut said he believed that, should his suggestion be carried
out, polemics on the issue would cease, while the President would
be freed from the burden of having to make the difficult
decision.
"If Justice Adi is really a Mr. Clean and is determined to
wipe out collusion from the Supreme Court, then the one-year
chance will be his test," Luhut said.
Separately, legal expert J.E. Sahetapy called on Chief Justice
Soerjono to resign.
"Whether or not the President agrees to his request, it's the
chief justice who should resign," the professor of law at the
Surabaya-based Airlangga University said.
He said that Soerjono had not been straightforward in his
explanation about a document fraud case, whose defendant was
acquitted of all charges, according to Adi, by colluding judges.
Sahetapy predicted that Soeharto would just let Soerjono's
request sit and wait until the chief justice reached his
retirement age. "This decision would save Soerjono's face," he
said.
"I don't think Pak Harto would respond to the request before
Soerjono's retirement. Who knows? The President might even defer
making a decision until after the 1997 general elections," he
said. (06)