Constitutional Court Justice Patrialis Akbar gives a press statement on Jan. 26, 2017 at anti-graft agency's headquarter. Image source: anekainfounik.net
Constitutional Court Justice Patrialis Akbar, who was named bribe suspect byThe Corruption Eradication Commission, maintained his claim of innocence despite his arrest.
First, I want to say to the chairman, vice chairman and judges of MK and to all Indonesians, I declare that today I have been tyrannized. I have never accepted money from Basuki, Patrialis said to reporters on Friday early morning.
For Gods sake, I really am tyrannized. You can ask Basuki later. [We have] never even talked about money, but now I am namedsuspect. For me, this is a test, a very hard test.
Basuki Hariman is a meat importer who was captured with Patrialis and nine other persons during KPK's latest operations.
Basuki claimed his innocence in this bribery case.
"I only gave money to Kamaluddin for umrah, but he gave it to Patrialis," Basuki said. "I only met Patrialis to help a friend by giving him insights and advice on meat import."
But Basuki also claimed that Kamaluddin promised him that the judicial review of Law No. 41/2014 on Livestock would be won.
Kamaluddin was also arrested in the same series of operations for allegedly becoming the middleman in the bribery.
Meanwhile, Patrialis had a message for the Constitutional Court.
"To the Constitutional Court, don't worry too much. I know the court's name is a bit tarnished because I have been named suspect," he said. "But I have never received money. Basuki is not even the one filing the judicial review. I love Constitutional Court so much. God willing, He will defend the righteous."
But Patrialis' colleaguesat the Court have taken action regarding his position.
After apologizing to the public for Patrialis' status,Chief Justice Arief Hidayat stated on Thursday afternoon that the remaining eight justices will ask President Joko Widodo to discharge Patrialis from his position unhounourably.
He also mentioned that the justiceshave held a consultative meeting to decidethe court's next steps.
[We] will fully support KPK to solve this case, give access as much as possible for KPK to investigate and they can even question the justiceswithout Presidents permission, he said.
The justices also pushed the court's ethics board to form a special council of justices, former justices, law professor, and representative of judicial commission to give a formal recommendation to President Jokowi regarding Patrialis' removal if he is proven to be guilty.
(brl/red)
