he latest arrest of a judge on corruption charges by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has cast further doubt on the Supreme Court’s ability and commitment to rid the nation’s judiciary of graft.
The antigraft body has charged Dewi Suryana, a judge with the Bengkulu Corruption Court, and clerk Hendra Kurniawan, with graft for allegedly accepting bribes from the family of a graft defendant.
Dewi is the seventh corruption court judge arrested by the KPK since 2012 after it arrested Semarang Corruption Court judge Kartini Julianna Mandalena Marpaung, also on bribery charges.
The Supreme Court has downplayed the magnitude of Dewi’s arrest, saying that the court implements strict supervisory mechanisms and that what Dewi allegedly did was beyond its control.
Speaking at a press briefing on Friday, Supreme Court spokesperson Abdullah claimed that the court had warned officials at all levels that any ethics violations would not be tolerated.
Following the arrests, the Supreme Court’s internal supervision division immediately suspended Bengkulu District Court head Kuswanto and chief clerk Yuswil to probe whether the two had been involved in the bribery case.
Kuswanto will be investigated to find out whether he had fulfilled his duty to conduct internal supervision.
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