New justice named in Akbar's case

JAKARTA: Judge Abdurrahman Saleh has been appointed to replace colleague Laica Marzuki to sit on the panel of five judges hearing the graft case of Akbar Tandjung, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Chief Justice Bagir Manan said on Tuesday that he and Paulus E. Lotulung, who heads the panel of judges, had agreed to appoint Abdurrahman, a lawyer who once led the Indonesia Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), as one of five judges handling Akbar's appeal.

"The appointment was based on his competency and knowledge," he told reporters in his office.

Laica is a judge in the newly established Constitutional Court, where he has been elected deputy chairman.

The appeal of Akbar was examined earlier by four judges, including Laica.

As chairman of the panel, Paulus would be the last to examine the case. After Paulus examines it, the five judges would hold discussions before arriving at a final decision.

The issuance of the verdict, however, would take longer to allow Abdurrahman examine the case. Bagir had said that the court was expected to present its verdict on Akbar's case in August or September this year.

Akbar, who is also the chairman of the Golkar Party, has been sentenced to three years in prison for misappropriating Rp 40 billion in Bulog funds. He remains free pending the decision of the Supreme Court. -- JP