Playing with Law

KOMPAS/DANU KUSWORO

The South Jakarta District Court judges chaired by Soedarto, Monday (28/8/2000), acquit Bali corruption case defendant Djoko Tjandra of all charges. The panel of judges was of the opinion that the case involving Joko Tjandra was a civil case.

Graft convict fugitive Joko S. Tjandra, who came to Jakarta to obtain an ID card, a passport and visit the South Jakarta District Court, has humiliated the republic.

The Joko Tjandra case is a big scandal in law enforcement in the era of President Joko Widodo\'s administration. It is time for President Jokowi as head of the government to summon his aides and ask what really happened as well as tell them what they should do. Joko Tjandra is a former director of PT Era Giat Prima and he was sentenced to two years in prison by the Supreme Court. He must return some funds to the state. But Joko escaped the law from Halim Perdanakusuma Airport, Jakarta, on a chartered plane, on 10 June 2009, before the Supreme Court read the verdict.

Also read : In the Fugitive\'s Footprints: 8 June

He was on the run for 11 years. An Interpol red notice was issued for him. However, in 2014, his red notice was removed. It is unknown who did it. Nobody dared to show up and claim responsibility.

When the graft fugitive recently came to Indonesia, it caused an uproar among the public. According to Attorney General ST Burhanuddin, Joko has been in Indonesia for three months. However, the Attorney General\'s statement was denied by Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna H. Laoly who stated that Joko Tjandra’s name was not recorded at the immigration checkpoint. The fugitive that should have been hunted down, instead, visited some government offices and nobody arrested him.

Also read : Chance to Catch Joko Tjandra

KOMPAS/HARRY SUSILO

A copy of an electronic ID card in Joko Soegiarto Tjandra’s name issued on June 8. Joko Tjandra, a fugitive convicted in the Bank Bali corruption case, made the electronic card at the South Grogol subdistrict office on the same day he went to the South Jakarta District Court to file a an appeal with the court.

Based on media investigation, on 8 June 2020 Joko Tjandra registered for an electronic ID card at the South Grogol sub-district office along with his lawyer Anita Kolopaking. Joko was welcomed by the sub-district head. Within 30 minutes, Joko\'s electronic ID card was completed. From the sub-district office, Joko headed for the South

Jakarta District Court office building. Joko was welcomed by a court staffer. He filed his case review documents. Nobody knew that the one who came was a fugitive. According to Attorney General Burhanuddin, Joko also arranged to obtain a passport on 23 June 2020. Registering for a passport means he came to the Immigration Office whose works also include managing the gates in and out of Indonesia.

Also read : Attorney General Promises to Catch Joko Tjandra

The incident shows that a graft fugitive like Joko Tjandra ransacked the country\'s legal system. He has humiliated the country’s legal officials. However, the reaction of Indonesian officials seemed mediocre. In fact, for the public, the actions of Joko and his lawyers were a slap in the face of law enforcement. Unfortunately, in Indonesian culture, there has not been a form of moral accountability for those who fail to carry out their duties. For example, resign from office.

The House of Representatives (DPR) remained silent. The House, which is usually aggressive in forming a special committee or working group, remained calm as a fugitive slapped the face of Indonesian law enforcement. Indonesian legal authority collapses if this sort of thing is allowed. There should not be the “money can buy everything” principle in the country. There is no other way but to reveal this scandal. Whoever helped Joko Tjandra\'s escape must be arrested. Prosecutors do not just wait for Joko to come to court, but must hunt him down. His team of lawyers should be invited to work together.