SETARA Criticizes Attorney General’s Office Over Ex-Jampidsus Case, Urges KPK Takeover

Former Jampidsus of the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) Febrie Adriansyah (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Chairman of the National Board of SETARA Institute Hendardi urged President Prabowo Subianto to take firm steps by transferring the handling of the alleged money laundering criminal case (TPPU) that ensnared former Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah from the Attorney General's Office (Kejagung) to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

According to Hendardi, this step is necessary to maintain the credibility of law enforcement and eliminate potential conflicts of interest because the case is currently handled by an institution that once sheltered Febrie as a high-ranking official.

"The President must order that the handling of the Febrie Adriansyah case be transferred to the KPK, so that the legal process takes place without the burden of conflict of interest and regain public confidence," Hendardi said in his statement, Wednesday, August 5.

Hendardi assessed that the handling of the case by the Attorney General's Office had only raised more public questions. One of the highlights was the Attorney General's statement that there was "a part that could not be disclosed to the public" in the investigation process.

According to him, confidentiality is indeed possible in the investigation stage, but it should not be used as an excuse to cover up accountability for cases that have a very large public interest.

"This statement is a worrying dynamic and actually increases public suspicion. In cases involving former high-ranking law enforcement officials with very large public interests, confidentiality is possible in certain aspects of the investigation process. However, confidentiality should not be turned into a shield to cover accountability," he said.

He assessed that the greater the public's attention to a case, the higher the standard of transparency that must be met by law enforcement officials. Therefore, various developments in handling the case are considered to have failed to convince the public that the legal process is carried out professionally and objectively.

Hendardi also highlighted a number of things that he considered to create a perception of special treatment for Febrie, ranging from not wearing a prisoner's vest or handcuffs when he was placed in the KPK Detention House to the lack of explanation regarding the results of the search conducted by investigators.

"A number of developments that have emerged so far show that the Attorney General's Office has not handled this case professionally, accountably, and convincingly," he said.

According to Hendardi, the series of events opened up room for speculation and had the potential to undermine public confidence in the independence of law enforcement. He reminded, if the legal process is not carried out transparently and free from conflicts of interest, the case has the potential to lose legitimacy in the eyes of the public.

Hendardi also reminded that the Attorney General's Office handles cases involving its own former top officials so that the independence of its handling will continue to be questioned.

"Law enforcement is not enough to be carried out according to procedures, but must also be able to present public confidence that the process is free from conflicts of interest, corps solidarity, or the interests of maintaining the good name of the institution. Without it, every result of handling cases will continue to be overshadowed by a crisis of legitimacy," he said.

Therefore, Hendardi asked the President to immediately take corrective steps so that the polemics do not drag on. According to him, the transfer of handling the case to the KPK is a constitutional step to ensure that the legal process takes place independently and is trusted by the public.

"Politically, this step will be proof of the President's support for law enforcement, as well as slowing down the erosion of government legitimacy due to public perceptions that the law is being played to protect a handful of officials in the Prabowo Government," he concluded.