Alleged Extortion By Deputy Minister Of Law And Human Rights, Observer: Temporarily Disable!

Illustration. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - Legal observer Fajar Trio has encouraged President Jokowi to temporarily suspend Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights EOSH during the investigation and investigation process by the KPK. This is done so that the process of disclosing the alleged extortion case of Helmut Hermawan can be carried out independently.

"This deactivation needs to be carried out so that the independence of the KPK is maintained in uncovering allegations of gratification and extortion reported by IPW. So the President needs to temporarily suspend EOSH," said Fajar, in his statement, Tuesday, March 21.

According to him, although he had to apply the principle of presumption of innocence, the IPW report regarding EOSH was quite interesting to the public and needed to be followed up by the KPK.

"Because allegations of extortion involving state officials can reduce the level of public trust in President Jokowi, especially in terms of commitment to eradicating corruption," he said.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) Sugeng Teguh Santoso responded to the statement of Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej (Eddy) who assessed that his report to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) seemed tendentious and led to slander.

Sugeng admitted that he had no problem with Eddy's accusations that he had slandered him. According to him, Eddy has the right to dismiss his accusations.

The IPW chairman said that this was done as a dialect in the public sphere so that he could educate the public to understand the cases he was facing.

"It's the same. I accuse Eddy of corruption, Eddy has the right to accuse me of slander. So it's just a dialectic, it doesn't matter. Dialectics in public spaces is necessary, in order to educate the public to be more understanding," Sugeng told reporters.

He said IPW had sufficient evidence, and hoped that the report would be followed up by KPK investigators. "The proof of IPW is quite strong. IPW hopes that the case will continue to be investigated," he said.

Previously, the Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights came to the KPK to clarify the Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) complaint regarding the alleged extortion of Rp. 7 billion through the personal assistant of the Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights.

"We are clarifying the KPK on IPW complaints that tend to lead to slander," said Eddy at the KPK's Red and White Building, Monday, March 20, 2023.

Previously, Sugeng Teguh Santoso said that there were allegations of extortion that resulted in the flow of funds worth Rp 7 billion received by EOSH through two of his personal assistants. "In April and May (2022) there was one provision of funds of 2 billion each, 2 billion of 4 billion which was allegedly received by the Deputy Minister of EOSH through his personal assistant at the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, brother YAR," said Sugeng at the KPK Building on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.

"The alleged extortion was experienced by HH, President Director of PT Citra Lampia Mandiri, related to a request for consultation regarding the PT CLM problem," he said.

Not only that, Sugeng said that EOSH asked HH that his aspri be named YAR could be placed as a Commissioner at PT CLM. "Then it was accommodated by the deed of notary, one person listed by brother YAR," he added.