Supreme Court Judge Soesilo Witness Zarof Rizar's Trial, Explains About Meetings

Supreme Court Justice Soesilo (DOK Judicial Commission/https://www.komisiyudisial.go.id/)

JAKARTA - The Supreme Court Justice, Soesilo, was presented as a witness in the trial of the alleged bribery and gratuity case of Gregorius Ronadl Tannur's acquittal in the case of persecution to Dini Sera Afrianti, today.

Soesilo's statement was intended to prove the indictment of the public prosecutor (JPU) for the three defendants, namely Zarof Ricar, Lisa Rachmat and Meirizka Widjaja.

During the trial, Supreme Court Justice Soesilo said that the defendant Zarof Ricar met during the inauguration of Professor for Honoris Klausa for High Court Judge Hery Suwantoro at Makassar State University. The meeting took place on September 24, 2024.

Judge Soesilo was one of the cassation judges who conducted a dissenting opinion (DO) when Ronald Tannur filed an appeal. Ronald Tannur's verdict at the cassation level, Tannur was sentenced to five years in prison for the alleged murder case.

"Is it true that the witness met Zarof Ricar during the inauguration of the professor on behalf of the chairman of PT, namely prof herry suwantoro at the Makassar state university?" asked the prosecutor during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Monday, April 21.

"Yes, I received an invitation, I attended. When the event was over, meet there, Mr. Zarof, shake hands, take a photo," answered Soesilo.

Then, Soesilo also stated that he had shook hands and only met Zarof in a room where the inauguration was located.

Zarof, said Seosilo, did talk about Ronald Tannur's case when he met at the judge's inauguration ceremony.

Soesilo said that if Tannur's case was not proven to be wrong, he was ready to give a free sentence at the cassation level.

"When (zarof) came to the witness, then there was a delivery of what was informed to the witness?" asked the prosecutor.

"Frankly, I don't remember sir, but the investigators said he said Mr. Zarof talked about the case. I'm just saying this, 'we'll see later, we'll see the facts, what if the law is proven, if it is proven that I'm legal if it's not proven I'm free and I won't be influenced by public opinion'. I said that, and I said that loudly. That's all I said," said Soesilo.

After meeting Zarof, Soesilo agreed that he had taken a selfie. The selfie was carried out after Zarof expressed his wish to Soesilo, namely the Tannur case, was released.

"Is this selfie before or after the submission of the sentence?" asked the prosecutor to confirm

"After conveying it, it looks like it. 'Let's take a photo, sir', I'll take a photo. Because he's a former leader and we've met before, just take a photo," answered Soesilo.

However, the Supreme Court judge stated that he did not know that his selfie was actually sent to Tannur's lawyer, Lisa Rachmat.

"At that time, in the news, investigators explained that they were sent to Mrs. Lisa," said Soesilo.

Soesilo said it was the first time he had met Zarof when there was a case of alleged abuse of Ronald Tannur. It was also emphasized that Zarof had never asked for help in handling cases other than the Ronald Tannur case.

As for the alleged case of malicious conspiracy in the form of bribery assistance in handling Ronald Tannur's case at the cassation and gratification level in 2012 '2022, Zarof was charged with being a liaison between the bribe giver and the judge during his career in the Supreme Court.

Zarof is suspected of having committed an evil conspiracy in the form of assistance to give or promise a judge money worth Rp. 5 billion, and receiving gratuities worth Rp. 915 billion and 51 kilograms of gold while serving in the Supreme Court to assist in case management in 2012 2022. It is stated that the conspiracy was carried out with legal adviser Ronald Tannur, Lisa Rachmat, with the aim of bribery to Supreme Court Chief Judge Soesilo in the Ronald Tannur case at the cassation level in 2024.

For his actions, Zarof Ricar is suspected of violating Article 6 Paragraph (1) letter a or Article 5 paragraph (1) and Article 12 B in conjunction with Article 15 jo. Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2001