Team finds 'no evidence' of justice bribery
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Judicial Commission summoned on Tuesday five staff members from the Supreme Court and a lawyer for businessman Probosutedjo in a bid to investigate allegations that judges handling Probosutedjo's graft case had received huge bribes.
Commission members, however, claimed that they had not yet found sufficient evidence to decide whether or not the judges had abused their authority.
Chairman Busyro Muqqodas led the seven-member team from the commission in questioning lawyer Harini Wijoso, and Supreme Court officials Malem Pagi Sinuhadji, Suhartoyo, Sudi Ahmad, Sriyadi and Pono Waluyo.
Irawady Joenoes, a commission member, said that the commission did not question them about their alleged roles in the case.
"We haven't found a direct connection between them and the judges. They said that they "sold" the names of the judges (to Probosutedjo)," he explained to reporters after the questioning.
However, Irawady said that the commission would continue their efforts to get evidence for possible involvement of judges in the bribery case.
The Judicial Commission's main task is to monitor and supervise the conduct of judges in the country.
The Supreme Court clerks were arrested after investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) caught them red- handed receiving bribe money from Harini, who represented Probosutedjo, the half-brother of the country's former authoritarian president Soeharto, who had been declared guilty by both the district and high courts for abusing reforestation funds. He was making an appeal with the Supreme Court when the bribery allegations emerged.
KPK confiscated some US$400,000 and Rp 800 million, which was allegedly used to bribe the Supreme Court judges, possibly using the clerks as the middlemen.
The employees said that Rp 5 billion of the money will be given to Chief Justice Bagir Manan, who leads a panel of justices who heard the appeal case of Probosutedjo, while the rest was for two other justices.
Bagir, as well as justices Parman Suparman and Usman Karim, have denied the allegations.
Probosutejo, who admitted that he disbursed a total of Rp 16 billion in bribe money to the judges and prosecutors for a lenient sentence, has been convicted for his involvement in a case involving reforestation funds that cost the state approximately Rp 100 billion.
The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced him to four years in jail, which was one year more than that sought by prosecutors, while the Jakarta High Court lowered the sentence to two years.