Several lawyers declared their support for the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Monday and have offered their legal services to assist the deputy chairmen after they were summoned by the National Police.

The 20 lawyers, calling themselves the KPK Defender Team, are Patra M. Zen, Abdul Fickar Hadjar, Ahmad Maulana, Alexander Lay, Arief T. Surowidjojo, Bambang Widjojanto, Eri Hertiawan, Harjon Sinaga, Abdul Haris M. Rum, Ignatius Andy, Iskandar Sonhaji, Luhut Marihot Parulian Pangaribuan, Taufik Basari, Timbul Thomas Lubis, Trimoelja D. Soerjadi, Yogi Sudrajat Marsono, Ari Julianto Gema, Ahmad Rifai, Djamhir Hamzah and Kemal Firdaus.

“This is a response from advocates who support the anticorruption movement,” team spokesman Bambang told a conference.

They claim the police do not have a strong enough case to summon the four KPK deputy chairmen.

The National Police summoned the deputy chairmen Friday to be questioned as witnesses over the alleged abuse of a travel ban issued for two individuals: Anggoro Widjojo and Joko Tjandra, and the lifting of a travel ban against Joko.

Anggoro is a suspect in a corruption case being investigated by the KPK, which involves the Forestry Ministry, but is now on the run. Joko is a witness in a bribery case involving senior attorney Urip Tri Gunawan.

The KPK prohibited Joko from traveling overseas after businesswoman Artalyta Suryani, who was proven to have given US$660,000 to Urip as a payoff to stop the investigation of her relative Sjamsul Nursalim, made a statement in court detailing Joko’s involvement in the case.

Sjamsul himself is implicated in the corruption case involving Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI).
Bambang and the KPK Defender Team are questioning the procedures taken by the police.

“Investigation procedures have inductive characteristics, the police should clarify which case they are investigating before they specify the violation, but they seem to have reversed the whole process,” he said.

He made the assertion based on a statement made by KPK deputy chairman Chandra M. Hamzah after he was questioned Friday. He said the police had only asked him general questions related to the KPK’s investigation and prosecution procedures.

Another lawyer Iskandar, said the police seemed to want to criminalise the KPK authorities, even though they had no right to question KPK authorities as stipulated by Law No. 30/2002 on the KPK.

“The police seem to be acting as a judiciary body by evaluating the implementation of a law by another institution,” he said.

Separately, commenting on the heated relationship between the police and the KPK, Justice and Human Right Minister Andi Matalatta said each institution was authorized by law to investigate anyone and anything.

“So, I don’t see any problem with both the police and the KPK trying to probe each other,” he said.

Bambang Widodo a police observer from the University of Indonesia said law enforcement institutions must cooperate together because a fight between them would only tarnish public trust.

“I believe the President and the Supreme Court must be the peacemakers in this dispute.” (hdt)

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