SUMMARY:

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Vice Chair Bambang Widjojanto (BW) underwent questioning at National Police headquarters on Tuesday, Feb. 3. Despite supporters’ fears he would be detained, he was released roughly nine hours later. After his questioning, BW told media he hoped that his willingness to undergo another round of interrogation would help to build trust between the two law enforcement institutions and encourage cooperation from witnesses that had been summoned by the KPK in the investigation of Budi Gunawan.

Recently elected Indonesian President Joko Widodo passed one of the first tests of his integrity credentials on 16 January when he postposed the inauguration of Commissioner General Budi Gunawan, his candidate to take over as chief of police, pending an investigation into corruption allegations.

While many people have placed their hopes on the Corruption Court, its verdicts have failed to deter corruption.

The Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) recorded that in the period of January-June 2014, at least 210 graft cases with 261 suspects went to trial. Of the 261 defendants, 241 were convicted while 20 were acquitted.

Although most were found guilty, 195 convicts were sentenced to less than four years in prison. More than two-thirds of those convicted in corruption cases were handed down light sentences.