Neutrality urged in court inquiry

Neutrality urged in court inquiry

JAKARTA (JP): A cabinet minister and a human rights group were
split yesterday on who has the authority to investigate the
bribery scandal that has rocked the Supreme Court.

Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman said the Supreme Court
should conduct its own investigation into the alleged bribery of
a prominent judge by the defendant in a document-fraud case
involving Rp 1.4 billion (US$599,000).

Oetojo proposed that the Supreme Court's Honorary Council move
to probe the case, which involves an Indian citizen, Ram Gulumal.
"To ensure objectivity, former justices with proven integrity may
be asked to help the council," he told reporters.

But the Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM)
demanded yesterday that an independent commission be formed to
handle this matter.

ELSAM executive director Abdul Hakim Garuda Nusantara
criticized proposals to have the allegation investigated by the
Supreme Court's Honorary Council or its special supervisors as
allowed by a 1985 law on the Court.

The non-governmental organization suggested that the formation
of the independent commission should be entrusted to the People's
Consultative Assembly, which is technically above the Supreme
Court.

"The Supreme Court as a state institution is at the same level
as the President and the Supreme Advisory Council. Therefore the
commission should be formed by a higher institution," he said.

The alleged collusion became public after the latest edition
of Forum Keadilan bi-weekly was published with a secret letter
from deputy Chief Justice for General Crimes Adi Andojo Soetjipto
to the Jakarta prosecutors office.

Adi asked the office to review the Supreme Court's decision to
acquit Ram Gulumal of charges of unlawful land procurement for
the construction of the Indian Gandhi Memorial International
School in Ancol, North Jakarta.

The magazine reported that Gulumal's release had sparked
controversy among senior judges because there were indications
that the judge presiding over the case, Samsoedin Aboebakar, had
received a bribe of Rp 1.4 billion.

Also yesterday, the Indonesian Bar Association (AAI) expressed
their "deepest concern" over the alleged corruption in the
highest judiciary institution.

"It is truly deplorable that such an allegation is rocking the
Supreme Court, the last resort for justice," the association said
in a statement signed by chairman Yan Apul, deputy secretary
general Sabirin Mudjid and deputy chairman Hakim Simamora.

The association criticized Chief Justice Soerjono for failing
to investigate the scandal, although he found out about it in
December.

The Chief Justice failed to take any action on the pretext
that he was waiting for a formal report from the Jakarta
prosecutors' office. The prosecutors office has no authority to
handle such a case, it pointed out.

"AAI condemns collusion at the Supreme Court because such
practices not only tarnish its own image but also ruin the image
of the whole justice system," the statement said. (16/pan)