KPK opposes plan to dissolve regional graft courts

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chief Bibit Samad Riyanto says he disagrees with plans to dissolve regional graft courts.

“Regional graft courts have done a us a huge favor cost- and time-wise,” Bibit said Monday as quoted by tempointeraktif.com.

He added that he was shocked at the recent release of graft defendants from various regional graft courts.

“However, based on my calculations, we are still seeing more punishments than acquittals from those courts. So, we still have a lot of time to improve.”

One of the graft court ad hoc judges, Dame Pandiangan, said the acquittals were often granted simply because the regional graft court judges failed to see convincing evidence of the alleged crimes.

“We are fully aware that our work is closely monitored by the public,but if we encounter weak evidence in trials then there is nothing we can do but acquit the [defendant],” he said.