Lawmakers urge prosecutors to review depeneering decision

The chairman of the House of Representatives' Commission III on legal affairs, Benny K. Harman, said lawmakers had yet to settle their view on the decision of prosecutors to terminate legal proceedings against two Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputies.

"We have not given our opinion so this could possibly open the chance for the decision to be reviewed," he said.

The Attorney General's Office (AGO) decided to terminate the case against KPK deputies, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah in October, without prior consultation with Commission III lawmakers.

Although prosecutors have decided to terminate the case, the termination will take full effect after the new Attorney General, Basrief Arief, formalizes the decision.

Benny added that the termination of legal proceedings, called deponeering, does not "erase the crime" and "shackles the suspect's constitutional rights".

"Bibit and Chandra will remain lifelong suspects," he said, adding that it would be better for prosecutors to issue a Letter of Order to Halt Prosecution (SKPP).

According to him, the order will completely free the deputies from the case since it indicates that the charges against the deputies contain no element of crime. The deputies allegedly abused their position and blackmailed a suspect in a graft case. (gzl)