Criticized By ICW, Attorney General Affirms Pinangki's Lawyers From Outside The Prosecutor's Office

JAKARTA - The Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) has responded to the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) 's criticism of providing legal assistance to prosecutor Pinangki Sirna Malasari in the case of Djoko Tjandra's alleged gratification.

Kapuspenkum Kejagung, Hari Setiyono said, giving legal assistance does not mean that Pinangki will be accompanied by a lawyer from the AGO. The assistance referred to as Hari only prepares legal counsel.

"So we need to emphasize that in accordance with the articles of association of the Indonesian Prosecutors Association, members are given the right to be accompanied by a lawyer or legal advisor," Hari told reporters, Tuesday, August 18.

The attorney who would later be appointed to accompany Pinangki, said Hari, was chosen from outside the Indonesian Prosecutors Association (PJI). Thus, it does not cause polemics or wild assumptions regarding the handling or investigation of the alleged gratification case.

"Lawyers or legal advisors appointed by the PJI administrators, lawyers or legal advisors from outside the Prosecutor's Office from a professional organization of lawyers not from the Prosecutor's Office," said Hari.

Previously, ICW criticized the AGO's decision to provide legal assistance to Prosecutor Pinangki. According to ICW, the prosecutor's office should not provide assistance to Pinangki, who is considered to have tarnished the image of the Adhyaksa Corps.

"ICW criticizes the legal assistance provided by the Attorney General's Office for Attorney Pinangki Sirna Malasari," said ICW researcher Kurnia Ramadhana.

According to him, legal assistance will have an impact on the investigation of this case which is not objective. Though this should be avoided.

"There are concerns that the legal assistance will be used to protect Attorney Pinangki from being caught in the trap of the law," said Kurnia.

Attorney Pinangki has been named a suspect by the AGO. He is suspected of receiving gratuities from Djoko Tjandra of 500 thousand US dollars.