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Lawmakers look to unseat another embattled court justice
The House is pushing for the removal of another Supreme Court justice due to his involvement in a scandalous graft case, but legal experts fear that lawmakers are acting beyond their authority.
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Then-Supreme Court justice candidate for the criminal chamber, Gazalba Saleh, prepares for his confirmation hearing at the House of Representatives in Jakarta on Sept. 13, 2017. Gazalba, who passed his hearing at the time, has now been named a suspect in a bribery case related to the Intidana cooperative insolvency. (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
T
he House of Representatives is once again pushing for the removal of a Supreme Court justice, this time graft suspect Gazalba Saleh, after his involvement in a scandalous graft case has permeated the top court.
It is at least the third time within the span of a year that a judge faces removal from the bench of a prominent court after lawmakers reportedly vetted them through “strict” procedures prior to appointment.
In a House plenary convened earlier this week, legislators agreed to send a letter of request to revoke a presidential decree (Kepres) from 2017 on Gazalba’s appointment and permanently dismiss the currently suspended court justice.
The official request letter would be sent out to the Presidential Palace within the week, with a follow-up expected next week at the earliest.
Arsul Sani, a member of House Commission III overseeing legal affairs from the United Development Party (PPP), said that Gazalba should be permanently removed after facing more criminal charges this week.
“When a top court justice who was vetted through a strict selection process turns out to [be a criminal], the moral authority of the House that approved him suffers,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
On Tuesday, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) announced that Gazalba would be charged with accepting gratuities and money laundering, on top of being named a suspect in a bribery case on Nov. 28 last year.
