Three Manulife judges may be indicted for bribery

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Adding to the shame of the Indonesian judiciary, the three judges who handled the controversial Manulife case may have been bribed, and the police will be called in to investigate the case, the justice minister said.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Yusril Ihza Mahendra said on Tuesday there was a possibility that the three judges would be declared as suspects in a bribery case.

"Because there seem to be indications ... We thought that we should submit the case to the police to carry out further investigations according to Criminal Code procedures," Yusril told journalists after his short meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Yusril's office launched an investigation into the three Commercial Court judges -- Hasan Basri, Cahyono and Kristipurnami Wulan -- soon after they declared Canadian-based Asuransi Jiwa Manulife Indonesia bankrupt.

In their decision, judges Cahyono and Kristipurnami Kristipurnami or Kristi Purnami? Wulan voted for the bankruptcy ruling, while Hasan Basri was against it.

Yusril underlined that if there were strong indications of criminal activity by the judges, then within the next two or three days, his office would submit the case to the police.

"Our office does not have the authority to carry out further investigations and open bank accounts to thoroughly examine the case. That's why we have to cooperate with the police," the minister said.

Yusril said he would meet police officials to determine whether the matters involving the three judges could possibly amount to a criminal offense.

Yusril said that the considerations over whether to submit the case to the police were given added impetus when his office received another complaint from businessman and governor of new Gorontalo province Fadel Mohammad, who was declared bankrupt by the same judges.

He added that through the criminal investigation procedure the three judges could be summoned to appear in court as defendants in a bribery prosecution, with special reference to the Manulife case.

The case came as another blow to Indonesia's judicial system, confirming the suspicions of rampant corruption within the judiciary.

The bankruptcy decision soon prompted mounting criticism and pressure from the Canadian government, as well as foreign investors, who considered the verdict likely to repel foreign investment in Indonesia.

Following massive criticism and pressure, the Supreme Court overturned last month the Commercial Court's verdict.

Yusril said the investigation by his office into the three judges aimed to prove whether bribery had been involved in the decision making over Manulife.

The report of the Audit Commission on Officials' Assets (KPKPN) is believed to show that Judge Hasan Basri's stated wealth is Rp 1.2 billion (US$135,000), and some 10 percent of it is gifts from people who have won cases.

Judge Kristi see note above re. spelling of her name reported that her wealth totaled about Rp 1.1 billion, but she did not report the remainder of her assets, said to be worth Rp 1.4 billion.