T

he Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Medan will file a report with the Judicial Commission (KY) over a panel of judges at the Medan Corruption Court over allegations of bribery.

The panel acquitted non-active Medan mayor Rahudman Harahap of all charges on Thursday. It was the first time the court had issued an acquittal.

Prosecutors had demanded a four-year jail term and a fine of Rp 500 million, they responded by filing an appeal to the Supreme Court.

LBH Medan director, Surya Adinata, said the report, to be filed on Monday, included verdict irregularities because the panel of judges did not consider testimonies from a prosecution witness.

Surya said Amrin Tambunan, the witness, was a former treasurer at the South Tapanuli regency administration and had been slapped with a four-year jail sentence in an embezzlement case, which saw state losses of Rp 1.5 billion (US$166,000) from South Tapanuli'€™s fund for village apparatus (TPAPD).

Rahudman and Amrin disbursed the fund in 2005 on Jan. 6 and May 4 '€” during the time Rahudman was South Tapanuli regency secretary.

Surya said Amrin'€™s testimonies should have been used as a benchmark for the panel of judges and that in addition to the irregularities, LBH Medan would also report possible bribery in the acquittal of Rahudman as rumors of bribery circulated one day before the verdict was read.

Surya said a letter circulated by the Indonesian Judiciary Corruption Study Center at the Medan Corruption Court building alleged the occurrence of bribery. Signed by Andri, the letter accused two judges '€” presiding judge Sugiyanto and member SB Hutagalung '€” of receiving bribes.

Surya said the letter claimed that both judges had received Rp 5 billion of the total Rp 35 billion.

'€œThe Judicial Commission must reveal the alleged bribery behind Rahudman'€™s acquittal,'€ he told The Jakarta Post on Sunday. '€œIf the bribery case is not revealed, the public would question why Rahudman walked free.'€

Presiding judge Sugiyanto denied the bribery allegations saying it was only a move to discredit the panel.

He said that the verdict was appropriate and that the judges did not regret it.

Medan Corruption Court spokesperson Ahmad Guntur said the panel of judges in Rahudman'€™s case had clarified the bribery allegations with the court management.

'€œThey denied the bribery allegations as rumors,'€ Guntur told the Post on Sunday.

Guntur also said there was no need to cross examine the judges.

'€œIf there are any doubts with the verdict, they must file an appeal with the Supreme Court,'€ he said.