Surabaya judge cleared of bribe scandal

Surabaya judge cleared of bribe scandal

JAKARTA (JP): The Supreme Court has cleared a top Surabaya
judge from allegations that he accepted bribes in acquitting
three businessmen from tax evasion charges.

Judge Sarwono, formerly deputy chief of the Surabaya court,
however, has been disciplined for "misconduct" and has lost his
chances of promotion to become the head of the district court in
Medan.

Chief Justice Purwoto Gandasubrata yesterday announced to the
press the results of the investigation by the Honorary Council of
Judges into allegations that Sarwono took bribes from the
businessmen.

The investigation, conducted jointly with a team from the
Ministry Justice, found no evidence that Sarwono was paid off in
acquitting the defendants early this year.

Officials in Jakarta, even President Soeharto, were dismayed
at the acquittals which they said dented the government's
vigorous campaign against tax evaders. They said the court
rulings made a mockery of the government's drive to collect more
taxes to replace dwindling revenues from oil exports.

The three tax evasion cases were similar in that the
defendants had claimed and received rebates on value added taxes
paid for exported goods. The cases caused losses amounting to
$2.7 million to the state.

Chief of the Surabaya prosecutor's office later accused
Sarwono of taking bribes, pointing to a Rp 100 million ($48,000)
Toyota sedan as evidence.

This accusation prompted the Supreme Court and the Ministry of
Justice to launch an investigation which later cleared the judge
of the accusations.

"He (Sarwono) was able to account for the funds he used to pay
for the car," Purwoto said.

He said however that during the course of the investigation,
it was discovered that Sarwono had violated a number of the
judges' code of ethics throughout his career so it was decided to
discipline him.

He declined to give details of the violations, saying that
they are not for public ears.

"We will put him in the Supreme Court for non-judicial
assignments," he said, adding that Sarwono had lost the chance to
be promoted to head the Medan District Court.

He added that whether Sarwono would be allowed to try cases in
court again depends on whether the judge can regain the trust of
his superiors.

Purwoto said all three tax evasion cases have reached the
Supreme Court following appeals from the Surabaya prosecutor's
office. The Supreme Court will review the verdict, he added.

Purwoto was speaking at his office yesterday after
inaugurating four new members of the Tax Council, a body that
reviews tax appeals.

The four new members are all representatives from the
Indonesian Chambers of Commerce and Industry: Sotion Ardjanggi,
Ibnu Soedjono, Mahfud Jakile and Suryani Sidik. They replace H.M
Nawawi, Lukmansjah Masputra, Rosita Noer and Soeharto
Prawirosujanto. (05)