Minister orders probe on allegedly tainted verdict
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
Acting on complaints from the victim's widow, Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra has ordered an investigation into a sentence, reportedly tainted by corruption, handed down at a murder trial in Tangerang District court last week.
A source at the ministry, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that on Dec. 31 Yusril ordered the director general for the judiciary and state administration (PU-TUN), Sudjatno, to probe the trial that led to the unusually light sentence handed down two days before.
"This is a heavy responsibility, and I have to report the probe results to the minister as soon a possible," the victim's widow, V. Megarana Dewi Yueni, quoted Sudjatno as saying.
Should the panel of judges who tried the case and sentenced the defendant -- along with the prosecutors who argued for a lighter charge -- are proven to have been bribed, they will be sanctioned, pledged Sudjatno.
On Friday, Tangerang Distric Court sentenced businessman Tan Thiong Keng to six years in prison for killing another businessman he suspected of having an affair with his wife, while attempting to extort money from her.
Judge Sitinjak said that the defendant, popularly known as Eeng, 41, and a resident of the Modern Land housing complex in Tangerang was guilty only of "assault that resulted in the death" of Rudiyanto, 37, who lived in the same complex, on Sept. 15 of last year.
Ever since early stages of the trial, speculation had emerged that the prosecutors, who were seen meeting with the defendant prior to each day in court, had been influenced by bribes to reduce the charges against him.
Prosecutors M. Adam and Victor Silitonga had earlier charged the defendant with violating Articles 338 and 351 of the Criminal Code in premeditated murder and assault, resulting in the victim's death and demanded 10 years imprisonment.
The victim's widow, Megarana, said the defendant, driven by a blind rage of jealousy, had killed a wrong man, but got off with a very light sentence.
"I don't understand why the defendant was not charged with ... premeditated murder, because the defendant, along with his two men, purposely came to my house, carrying two FN 46 pistols to kill my husband," she told The Jakarta Post..
She added that the defendant also possessed the weapons illegally, and therefore should also face charges of the emergency law No 12/1951, on illegal possession of firearms.
Upset with the light punishment, Megarana filed complaints with the minister on Dec. 29, saying that prosecutors' charges and court ruling must have been influenced by bribes and therefore be investigated.
She also sent copies of the complaints to Attorney General A. Rahman, Supreme Court Chief Bagir Manan, National Police Chief Da'i bachtiar, National Commission on Human Rights and People's Consultative Assembly speaker Amin Rais, and House of Representatives speaker Akbar Tanjung, along with the West Java High court and prosecutors' office.
Sitinjak, who presided over the trial sessions, was out of the office and could not be reached for comment on Wednesday. Court spokesman Ade Komarudin was reluctant to disclose the details when asked about the minister's instruction.