Court chief suspended for 'mischievous' conduct

Andreas D. Arditya ,  The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Sat, 07/12/2008 11:41 AM  |  National

The Supreme Court on Friday suspended West Jakarta District Court Chief Khaidir after he was found guilty for asking for money from defendant Artalyta Suryani.

"Khaidir admitted he had called Artalyta to ask for 'help'. The Supreme Court considers that as a serious violation," said deputy justice for internal affairs Djoko Sarwoko as quoted by Antara.

The Judicial Commission, however, objected to Khaidir's suspension, saying the punishment was insufficient.

"They should have also discharged him from his position as a judge," said Tahir Saimima, deputy chairman of the Judicial Commission.

The Commission plans to hold its own questioning session with Khaidir next Wednesday, and will report the results of its investigation to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Judicial Commission chairman Busyro Muqqodas said the commission would also summon several supreme court justices in their investigation, but he refused to reveal their identities.

KPK deputy chairman Haryono Umar said the anti-graft body lacked sufficient evidence to charge Khaidir for corruption.

"However, we will use his confession as a starting point for our investigation. We shall find out whether he was indeed implicated in a graft," he said.

According to the Supreme Court, Khaidir admitted calling Artalyta, but denied accepting money from the businesswoman.

Khaidir's connection to Artalyta was revealed during her bribery trial at the Corruption Court last month, during which Judge Andi Bachtiar read out the transcript of a taped conversation between the two parties.

In the recording, dated March 1, 2008, Khaidir asked Artalyta to pay for two supreme justices to travel to China to play golf.

Artalyta told him to call her back and remind her about the matter after the weekend.

However, the KPK arrested the businesswoman the following day for allegedly giving US$660,000 and Rp 100 million (US$10,870) in bribes to state prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan.

The KPK said the bribe was related to Urip's alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support (BLBI) funds, in which tycoon Sjamsul Nursalim was implicated. Artalyta is believed to have had a close relationship with Sjamsul.

Artalyta faces a five-year prison sentence, as demanded by the KPK prosecutors, for bribing a state official.

Khaidir is the fourth judicial official to give up his post after being accused of corrupt activities involving Artalyta.

Following Artalyta's arrest, the Attorney General's Office (AGO) suspended its deputy attorney general for special crimes Kemas Yahya Rahman and director of special criminal investigations Muhammad Salim.

Both former officials have separately admitted to meeting Artalyta at the AGO building in relation to the investigation into the BLBI case during her bribery trial.

Last month, Untung Udji Santoso resigned from the AGO after being dismissed from his position as deputy attorney general for state administrative affairs due to his being implicated in the case.

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