MAHFUD: CENTURY CASE SHOULD BE REFERRED TO CRIMINAL COURT

Tanjungpinang, March 6 (ANTARA) - Constitutional Court chairman Mahfud MD said the Bank Century case should be referred to a criminal court to prove who was guilty in the alleged criminal offenses or violations of the law.

"It should be brought to a criminal court for a ruling," he said after giving a lecture at Hotel Comfort here on Saturday.

He said by taking the case to a criminal court it would be known if criminal effenses or law violations, corruption or manipulations had really happened.

"They can all be verified from those whose names have been mentioned in the House inquiry committee's meeting such as bank officials," he said.

Mahfud said he believed the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) would have the courage to unveil the case so long as they have indictment relating to bribery or corruption.

"So far the KPK has shown courage and it fears no one so long as it has an indictment against a criminal law," he said.

Mahfud said if the case is to be brought to the constitution court (MK) as a political case there must first be a political opinion from the House of Representatives supported by 75 percent of its members.

"It will take long. And only after that will an impeachment be able to be carried out. It will be impossible to do it without the process," he said.

He said the constitutional court could not push for the case to be brought there, adding the constitutional court would only stand-by and would not do it unless no one filed it.

"MK would only stand by and is not allowed to actively take case," he said.

Mahfud said conviction in the criminal court has nothing to do with impeachment.

"They are not related. If the House of Representatives or the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) would not impeach it will never happen although they are proven guilty in court," he said.

The majority of the House of Represenatives decided in a vote recently that irregularities had occured in connection with the government's decision to bailout the Century Bank in the midst of the world's economic crisis in 2008.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in a speech on Thursday meanwhile supported the decision saying it was needed to save the country's economy and banking sector.