Seeking House Arrest, Ebenezer Tests KPK's Consistency
The lawyer for the defendant in the alleged extortion and gratuity case, as well as former Deputy Minister of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel Ebenezer), Aziz Yanuar, explained that his client’s desire to apply for a change in the type of detention to house arrest is to observe the consistency of law enforcement by the law enforcement apparatus.
Aziz wants to know whether there is justice in the process of following up on the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)’s decision, which previously transferred the detention of the suspect in the alleged Hajj quota corruption case, as well as former Minister of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, from prison detention to house arrest.
“Our client, Immanuel Ebenezer, and his family are also applying for house arrest. Actually, the spirit of the family and the legal team is to see how far this law enforcement is just or selective?” said Aziz at the KPK Office, Jakarta, on Friday (27/3).
“When someone is close to power, there is a certain interest with the current government-involved power, then they are facilitated to get house arrest. Whereas those who no longer have interest are made difficult. Actually, we just want to see that, we want to measure, is there a measure of how this law enforcement, its implementation, is there equality before the law. That’s what we want to see,” he continued.
Aziz then highlighted the KPK’s decision that previously rejected when his client wanted to undergo a comprehensive health examination during the investigation stage. Noel, he said, was only given permission twice to undergo a health examination when the case had not yet been handed over to the court.
“His complaints up to now, Brother Noel has diabetes, high sugar, and also blocked blood vessels. That’s why yesterday from the court it was already given (permission) for a comprehensive medical check-up and alhamdulillah it has happened, it has been done,” he said.
“Based on the doctor’s recommendation, there must be a minor surgery on Immanuel Ebenezer for the blockage in his blood vessels to prevent sudden stroke later. That’s the request we submitted to the court. InsyaAllah next week (the judge will decide),” he continued.
Today, Aziz, representing the Central Executive Board (DPP) of the Islamic Brotherhood of Advocates, reported five KPK Leaders to the KPK Supervisory Board (Dewas) for alleged ethical code violations related to the house arrest polemic of Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.
Aziz said there is an alleged ethical code violation in the form of justice values, professionalism, transparency, and government ethics related to the transfer of Yaqut’s detention type.
“What we reported, first the KPK Chairman, then the KPK Vice Chairman. There are four Vice Chairmen. Then there is the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, Deputy for Coordination and Supervision, Director of Investigation, Director of Prosecution, and the Spokesperson,” said Aziz.
He revealed that there are several values violated by the reported parties behind the transfer of Yaqut’s detention type. Among them are justice values, professionalism to transparency.