Indonesian Judiciary Commission Urges Professional Handling of Ex-Prosecutor's Case

The Indonesian Commission for the Judiciary (Komjak) has urged the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) to handle the case of former Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Febrie Adriansyah, with utmost professionalism. Komjak Commissioner Rita Serena Kolibonso emphasized that prosecutors have a duty to act professionally, regardless of the suspect's former position, especially when dealing with a case involving a former high-ranking official who held a position one level below the Attorney General.

"If a prosecutor prosecutes a suspect or defendant who, in committing the crime, has committed a violation, they must also be professional in doing so," Kolibonso stated during a discussion in Jakarta. She affirmed that the authority to prosecute remains with the prosecutors, even after the case is transferred to the Attorney General's Office. Kolibonso assured that Komjak would closely monitor the proceedings.

Kolibonso further explained that Komjak functions as an external supervisory body, monitoring and evaluating the performance and conduct of prosecutors and their staff. She claimed that Komjak had already provided recommendations to Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin since the case first surfaced. "Komjak's recommendations have already been given... We also periodically provide recommendations to the institution from the mandated receiving institution. But essentially, we entrust the process to the court," Rita said.

She also highlighted the importance of internal oversight within the prosecutor's office, particularly through the Junior Attorney General for Supervision (Jamwas), who is currently acting as the interim Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, replacing Febrie Adriansyah. Kolibonso stressed that Komjak's role as an external supervisor is to encourage the effectiveness of this internal oversight. "Internal supervision must function, that's why it's important for Komjak to have an external role that then demands internal supervision to function," she explained.