Manulife judges still being investigated
Manulife judges still being investigated
Kurniawan Hari
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Two months after a disciplinary committee from the Jakarta High
Court was assigned to investigate bribery allegations against
three judges, the public at large have not yet been informed of
whether or not they violated the code of ethics when they
declared insurance company Manulife Indonesia bankrupt in June.
The committee was slated to finish its work and propose a
course of action to the Justice Ministry and Supreme Court within
30 days of its establishment on Aug. 12
However, to this point there has been no explanation from the
government, the committee, the ministry or the Supreme Court
(MA).
Spokesman of the Justice and Human Rights Ministry Hormat
Tjapah said on Tuesday that his office had received a report from
the disciplinary committee, but could not yet make it public.
"The report will be discussed first, in private, between the
Justice Minister (Yusril Ihza Mahendra) and Chief Justice Bagir
Manan before it is announced to the public," Tjapah said.
The Jakarta High Court decided to set up the committee in
August to investigate three Jakarta Commercial Court judges --
Hasan Basri, Ch. Kristi Purnamiwulan, and Cahyono -- in which
there was widespread speculation that the case was seriously
tainted by corruption, including bribery of the judges in order
that they would declare P.T. Asuransi Jiwa Manulife Indonesia
bankrupt.
The three drew waves of domestic and international criticism
when they declared Manulife Indonesia, a local unit of Canadian
giant Manulife Financial, bankrupt for opting not to pay out
dividends in 1999, much to the chagrin of former partner and some
40 percent stakeholder, P.T. Dharmala Sakti Sejahtera, which was
bankrupt itself and desperate for cash.
The Supreme Court later overturned the verdict following
strong protests from Canada.
The three judges were suspended pending investigation into
allegations that they were bribed to declare the insurance firm
bankrupt.
Bagir Manan said on Monday that he had issued an approval for
the police to investigate the three judges if there was any
criminal behavior involved.
Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf refused to comment
Tuesday on the investigation timetable and passed The Jakarta
Post on to a staff member who could not be reached.
Meanwhile, Firman Wijaya, a lawyer for Hasan Basri, called for
an early announcement of result of the investigation.