South Sulawesi Prosecutor's Office Responds to Ruling Invalidating Ex-Acting Governor's Suspect Status

The South Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office has responded to a pretrial ruling regarding the suspect status of former Acting Governor of South Sulawesi, Bahtiar Baharuddin, in a case of alleged corruption involving the procurement of pineapple seedlings worth Rp60 billion. The sole judge in the pretrial hearing ruled that the suspect status assigned to Bahtiar Baharuddin was invalid. “The South Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office states that it respects the decision as part of the judicial control mechanism over the law enforcement process,” said Head of Public Relations of the South Sulawesi Prosecutor’s Office, Soetarmin, in a statement on Tuesday. However, Soetarmin noted that the ruling does not annul the Investigation Order which forms the basis of the investigation. “Therefore, the investigation into the matter in principle still has a legal basis to proceed,” he said. Soetarmin explained that investigators will thoroughly study the legal considerations presented by the judge before determining the next legal steps. “Investigators from the South Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office will comprehensively study the judge’s legal considerations and subsequently take the necessary legal steps in accordance with statutory provisions, including refining the investigation process if deemed necessary,” he stated. According to Soetarmin, a pretrial ruling is a mechanism for oversight of investigators’ actions and does not eliminate the investigator’s authority to continue the legal process as long as it adheres to statutory regulations and court decisions. “We will take the necessary legal steps to resolve the alleged corruption case regarding the procurement of pineapple seedlings in accordance with applicable regulations,” he said. The South Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office also affirmed its commitment to carrying out the law enforcement process professionally, objectively, and accountably. “We are committed to carrying out every law enforcement process professionally, objectively, and accountably by upholding the principles of due process of law, legal certainty, justice, and respect for the human rights of every citizen,” he said. Previously, the Makassar District Court judge granted the pretrial motion filed by former Acting Governor of South Sulawesi, Bahtiar Baharuddin, after he was named a suspect in the alleged corruption case involving pineapple seedlings worth Rp60 billion by South Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office investigators. In the pretrial hearing, the judge declared the naming of Bahtiar as a suspect invalid, ordering investigators to release him from detention. “The suspect designation is null, void, and not binding. Furthermore, his detention is also declared invalid, so investigators are ordered to release him from custody,” said Bahtiar’s legal counsel, Irwan Muin, after the hearing on Monday.