Indonesia calls off investigations into Bali Nine bribery allegations

The judicial commission overseeing the integrity of judges in Indonesia has put an end to the investigations into the bribery allegations against judges who sentenced the execution of the Bali Nine duo, Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan. The allegations which claimed that the judges demanded a bribe of more than AU$130,000 for more lenient statement for the duo were brought by the duo’s lawyer, Muhammad Rifan.

Rifan had alleged that the reason for the judges presiding over the hearings at the Denpasar District Court to ask for more money was the mounting pressure from the Indonesian Supreme Court and the Attorney General’s office to pen the death penalty. The judicial commission started the investigations after the death of the duo.

"The report on the alleged breach of the code of ethics is closed because the judicial commission has not got sufficient evidence," said Imam Anshori Saleh, a member of the commission. "Rifan's testimony was heard but he refused for it to be [officially] put in the interrogation report. Meanwhile, Peter [Johnson's] lawyers have been summoned twice but refused to meet with us and respond."

It is not possible for the commission to interview the judges or any other witness for that matter with evidence from the lawyers. Rifan had been practising under Johnson, a prominent Australian lawyer in Bali who was Rifan’s overseer at the Austrindo law firm. Most members of the Bali Nine ring accused of heroin smuggling were represented by Austrindo in the original 2005 and 2006 trials.

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Johnson had declined to make any comment on his refusal to co-operate with the enquiry when asked about it via text message. But Rifan told Fairfax Media that the investigations do not make sense any longer since Sukumaran and Chan are now dead.

"They have not done their job. They are supposed to investigate properly and uphold the integrity of the judiciary," said Todung Mulya Lubis, the duo’s main lawyer. He also added that he has not been informed about the wrapping up of the investigations.

Sukumaran and Chan were Australian drug smugglers and members of the Bali Nine ring, both of whom were convicted in Indonesia and was killed by firing squad on April 29. The execution of the two had led to tensions in the bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia which lasted for months.

Contact the writer at feedback@ibtimes.com.au, or let us know what you think below.