The ‘Executioner of the Corrupt’ has Fulfilled his Duties
Sad news has come to the world of law enforcement in the country. The former chief justice and career lawyer, Artidjo Alkostar, passed away in Jakarta on Sunday (28/2/2021).
By
KOMPAS TEAM
·5 minutes read
JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Sad news has come to the world of law enforcement in the country. The former chief justice and career lawyer, Artidjo Alkostar, passed away in Jakarta on Sunday (28/2/2021). Artidjo\'s body was to be buried at the Cemetery of the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII) on Jl. Kaliurang in Yogyakarta at 10 a.m. on Monday (1/3).
His departure has left a big hole for law enforcement in the country because of his immeasurable legacy in the spirit of impeccable integrity and persistence in eradicating corruption. Artidjo also saw the need to revoke the political rights of corruptors. Until the end of his life, Artidjo was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The news of Artidjo\'s death first emerged in public when Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Mahfud MD broadcast the information through social media on Sunday at 2:44 p.m.
We learned from his simplicity and unyielding spirit.
Mahfud gave remarks about Artidjo, who was known to be strict in examining corruption cases. "Artidjo Alkostar was the chief justice and nicknamed the executioner by the corrupt. He did not hesitate to impose severe punishment on corrupt officials without caring about their political strength and backing,” said Mahfud.
KPK chairman Firli Bahuri said Artidjo had been a role model like a parent at the KPK. "We learned from his simplicity and unyielding spirit. He was very old, but ready to devote himself to the nation and state,” said Firli.
Artidjo\'s dedication has been known for a long time, even when he was still a lawyer and was active in the Legal Aid Institute (LBH). In an advocacy case in Yogyakarta, he did not even ask his client for a penny.
His colleagues and fellow workers in law enforcement, thinkers and legal activists will miss this righteous figure. The former chairman of the Judicial Commission (KY), who is also a member of the KPK leadership, Busyro Muqoddas, remembers Artidjo as a figure who was upright and steadfast in maintaining his integrity. He very much guarded himself from the influence of friendships and close relationships because of his position as chief justice at that time.
On one occasion, the two friends met at a bookstore in the Kwitang area of Central Jakarta. Busyro was the chairman of the Judicial Commission, while Artidjo was a chief justice. As a friend and fellow teacher at the Law School of UII, Busyro wanted to invite him to eat. However, Artidjo refused and hastily ended the conversation. This, Busyro added, showed how careful Artidjo was and considered his position as the chief justice, so that his integrity was maintained.
Zero tolerance
Krisna Harahap, a fellow judge at the Supreme Court who often sat on the same panel as Artidjo, was also impressed with Artidjo\'s "zero tolerance" stance on corruption. For more than a decade of working together at the Supreme Court, the ad hoc corruption judge at the Supreme Court discovered the anticorruption principle that was ingrained in Artidjo.
"Indonesia lost its best son, because Pak Artidjo was a person who truly had the principle of no tolerance for corruption. The deceased selflessly fought corruption because, for him, corruption was the main enemy of this nation," he said.
Indonesia lost its best son, because Pak Artidjo was a person who truly had the principle of no tolerance for corruption.
Nevertheless, Krisna did not agree with the assumption that Artidjo Alkostar was an executioner who had no conscience or arbitrarily increased the punishment for corruption convicts. All decisions by Artidjo and the assembly were taken through joint discussions, and he weighed them with the principle of justice.
In one case, for example, Artidjo acquitted a corruption defendant. "The defendant was an office boy who had been used by the son of a minister to start a company," he said.
Artidjo\'s firm stance made a number of corruption defendants rethink when they were going to file for legal action at the Supreme Court. Some of the cases he decided were the life sentence of former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar; 14 years for the former chairman of the Democratic Party, Anas Urbaningrum, as well as the 18-year sentence and deprivation of political rights for the former president of the Prosperous Justice Party, Luthfi Hasan Ishaaq. In addition, he handed down a 12-year sentence on a politician from the Democratic Party, Angelina Sondakh, and an 18-year sentence on Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo, the former head of the National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas Polri).
As a chief justice, Artidjo decided 19,708 cases until he retired on May 22, 2018. He also became the chairman of the Supreme Court\'s Criminal Law Chamber (2014-2018).
Contacted separately, Supreme Court spokesperson Andi Samsan Nganro said that, during his tenure at the Supreme Court, Artidjo had been very diligent in his work, honest in carrying out his mandate and consistent in making decisions.
His work in the world of law enforcement earned him appreciation from many parties, including his selection as a dedicated Kompas scholar in 2017. Goodbye, Pak Artidjo! (REK/ DEA/ PDS/ HRS/ NCA)