Authority to drop cases would create more problems: KPK

Corruption Eradication Commission deputy chairman Bibit Samad Rianto (KPK) says he does not agree with plans to give the commission the authority to drop cases it is investigating.

“Such authority would most likely become a source of [more] corruption,” Bibit said Monday in Nusa Dua, Bali.

The commission was established in 2003 under the 2002 Law on the Corruption Eradication Commission. Under this law the commission cannot halt an investigation, a loophole that has frequently been abused by other law enforcement bodies such as police and prosecutors.

Bibit added that he was concerned that legislators’ recent plans to revise the KPK law had ignored the fact that KPK investigators were cautious about declaring suspects since they had no authority to drop cases.

Lawmakers have argued that commission’s inability to drop cases violates the principle of the presumption of innocence.

Meanwhile, observers suggest lawmakers are hoping to retaliate against the commission following the prosecution of many of their current and former colleagues.

In January, the Constitutional Court rejected a judicial review of the KPK law, as requested by a former legislator who is also a bribery suspect, and upheld articles that prohibit the commission from terminating its investigations.

“They must first conduct a comprehensive study of the implementation of the existing law. They must study its advantages and weaknesses in relation to the KPK's duties,” Bibit said.

“I’d say the current law is sufficient to accommodate the KPK in doing its job.”

Since its establishment, no suspects brought to trial by the commission have been acquitted.