Bagus BT Saragih and Ina Parlina, Jakarta – The Judicial Commission (KY) has found indications that judges in Antasari Azhar's trial ignored important evidence and testimony that might have cleared him of murder charges.
"We have made a preliminary conclusion that shows indications of unprofessional conduct and other ethical violations made by the judges in the Antasari trial," KY spokesperson Asep Rahmat Fajar told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
The conclusion was welcomed by Antasari's team of lawyers, who had planned to file a case review to the Supreme Court, the last resort available in Indonesia's judicial system to appeal a court verdict.
"Look at this, revelation after revelation. The KY has even made us more confident and assured that Antasari's case was totally orchestrated," one of Antasari's lawyers, M. Assegaf, told the Post.
The commission will follow up its probe by summoning and questioning all related parties, including the plaintiffs, the judges and witnesses not necessarily limited to those who already testified in court, Asep said.
Responding to KY's preliminary findings, Supreme Court spokesperson Hatta Ali said judges held the absolute authority to assess the significance of testimony or evidence in a case. Hatta said KY's authority was limited to imposing administrative sanctions on judges.
Antasari, the former chair of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence for masterminding the murder of businessman Nasruddin Zulkarnaen in March 2009.
Nasruddin was killed in his car in a mob-like drive-by shooting by a man riding on the back of a motorcycle.
The alleged hired assassins testified in court that they had been tortured severely by police before their confessions. The police investigation found Nasruddin had been shot at close range, while forensic expert Mun'im Idris testified that the victim was shot from a distance. Mun'im also testified that the police had asked him to eliminate the forensic results he had found from analyzing Nasruddin's body.
Asep said KY commissioners alleged the judges deliberately ignored expert witnesses, particularly in connection with the type of firearm and its bullets. An IT expert also testified in court that text messages saved in Nasruddin's cell phone were bogus, but the judges did not take that into account, Asep said.
The texts containing threatening messages supposedly from Antasari had been used by police investigators as proof that Antasari had a motive to kill Nasruddin.
Former mid-ranking police officer Sr. Comr. Wiliardi Wizar, who was convicted in the case, testified in court that he had been forced by police generals to testify against Antasari.
Former National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, previously testified at another trial that the National Police had a special team tasked to target KPK leaders.
High-profile graft convict Gayus H. Tambunan also made a statement that prosecutor Cirus Sinaga, who once handled his case, had been involved in a plot targeting Antasari.
Sources said Antasari had been targeted by those in power in connection with KPK's move in 2008 to detain President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's father-in-law Aulia Pohan, a former Bank Indonesia deputy governor.