Dessy Sagita – A Constitutional Court judge resigned on Friday, the first on that bench to do so, after an ethics tribunal ruled that he must take responsibility for bribes allegedly received by his family.

Judge Arsyad Sanusi made his announcement at a press conference at the court on Friday.

"As my moral responsibility being a justice, I willingly resign and ask for early retirement," Arsyad said tearfully. "This is to maintain the image [of] and trust [for] the institution."

The Judges Ethics Council (MKH) said Arsyad had been negligent for failing to be aware that his daughter and brother-in-law frequently met with Dirwan Mahmuad, a plaintiff in a case the judge was reviewing at the time.

The tribunal said Arsyad's relatives may have taken bribes from Dirwan to sway the judge's decision on a petition for a judicial review filed by the plaintiff.

Dirwan, who ran for South Bengkulu district head in 2008, had sought a review of the regional governance law. Six judges on the panel ruled against him, with Arsyad dissenting.

Constitutional Court Chief Justice Mahfud M.D. said on Friday that it was regrettable that Arsyad should take the blame for something he was not aware of.

"His brother-in-law repeatedly met with Dirwan. It happened without Arsyad knowing," the justice said.

"Judges should ensure that their family members or subordinates do not meet with anyone involved in a case they are handling."

In a separate case, the ethics tribunal cleared Judge Akil Mochtar of bribery allegations for lack of evidence.

Akil was suspected of taking Rp 1 billion ($111,000) from Jopinus Ramli Saragih, head of North Sumatra's Simalungung district, in exchange for upholding the official's election victory last year.

"There has been no evidence found, directly or indirectly, that Jopinus actually handed the money to judge Akil Mochtar," Mahfud said. "They have never even met outside the court."

Akil welcomed the ruling, saying the case had been "a burden, especially for my family."

He said he was not worried about another investigation by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) into his alleged bribe-taking.

He said the tribunal was much harsher than a formal probe because it "not only affected the judge as an individual, but also the court as a state institution."