Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Attorney General`s Office (AGO) has actually been suspicious of Judge Syarifuddin ever since he acquitted Bengkulu Governor Agusrin M Najamuddin of corruption charges at the Central Jakarta District Court, a spokesman said.

"Prosecutors had reported the judge`s attitude for a long time after seeing abnormalities in the handling of Agusrin`s case," Deputy Attorney General for Supervision Marwan Effendy said here on Monday.

The Supreme Court suspended Judge Syarifuddin on Monday after the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested him for allegedly receiving a bribe over PT Sky Camping Indonesia (SCI) bankruptcy case.

The prosecutors had demanded 4.5 years in prison from Agusrin and a fine of Rp500 million for his alleged involvement in a corruption worth Rp20.16 billion of Bengkulu administration state funds.

The team of judges headed by Syarifuddin however later acquitted Agusrin causing the AGO to file an appeal.

Marwan said the suspicion emerged during hearing of witnesses and experts that were not in favor of Agusrin. "The witnesses were often interrupted when giving testimonies that were not in favor of the defendant," he said.

In view of that he said he would not investigate the prosecutors handling Agusrin`s case. "They would not be investigated because they have carried out their task well," he said.

Chief Justice Harifin A Tumpa said when announcing the suspension for Syarifuddin before the press "he would never tolerate anyone that has embarrassed the judicial institution." (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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