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)