Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The Supreme Court has decided to temporarily suspend a Semarang district court judge after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) named him a suspect in a graft case.

The decision to temporarily suspend the judge was made during a meeting of supreme justices on Thursday, Chief of the Supreme Court`s Legal Affairs and Public Relations Bureau Abdullah stated on Friday.

The Supreme Court strongly condemned the graft case particularly, since it involved a law enforcer within the state institution, he remarked.

"Not only does it degrade the image and threaten integrity of the Supreme Court but also tarnish the image of the Indonesian nation and state in the eyes of the international community," he noted.

On Thursday, the anti-graft body named the Semarang district court judge, identified by his initials as LAS, and Jepara district head, identified by his initials as AM, as suspects in the graft case.

After receiving information from the public and conducting investigation since November 2017, the KPK found preliminary evidence pointing to alleged corruption.

Based on the result of the investigation, AM was found giving gratification or pledge to LAS, who acted as a single judge in a pretrial hearing at the district court.

The gratification was related to the verdict issued in the pretrial hearing to try an alleged abuse of political party funds.

Reporting by Maria Rosari, Suharto
Editing by Rahmad Nasution

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Suharto
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