JUDICIAL COMMISSION TO EXAMINE ANTASARI'S JAIL SENTENCE

Jakarta, March 1 (ANTARA) - The Judicial Commssion (KY) - Indonesia's judiciary watchdog - is to examine the 18-year jail sentence passed on former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chief Antasari Azhar by the South Jakarta district court in the Nasrudin Zulkarnaen murder case.
"We will form a team (to examine Antasari's jail sentence) led by KY member in charge of supervision, Judge Zainal Arifin," KY Chairman M Busyro Muqoddas said here Monday.

He said the team would examine Antasari's sentence based on norms applicable to its various aspects, incldung the aspect of propriety according to the judiciary code of ethics.

The KY received a copy of the South Jakarta District Court's verdict on Antasari Azhar's case on Monday.

Last February 22 Busyro had stated the KY had sent a letter to the South Jakarta District Court requesting a copy of its verdict on Antasari who was accused of involvement in Zulkarnaen's premeditated murder.

The KY has the power to summon court judges or other parties involved when it believes the judiciary code of ethics has been violated in a court case.

Busyro said following the announcement of the South Jakarta District Court's verdict on Antasari last Febaury 11, the latter's defense counsels had reported indications of judiciary ethics violations in the way the court jury had handled their client's case.

Antasari himself had stated the court jury had reached its verdict in an "abnormal" way because it had completely ignored the facts that were presented or uncovered during the previous trial sessions and not forwarded its argumentation as was normally done in court verdicts.