Trial of Novel Baswedan's Attackers; Ex KPK Leader: 'A Farce'

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) leader, Bambang Widjojanto along with public figures, on Sunday, paid a visit to one of the anti-graft watchdog’s senior investigators, Novel Baswedan in North Jakarta. 

Their arrival was to publicly show support for Novel after the court ruling gave light sentencing of one-year imprisonment for the defendant who attacked Novel Baswedan with acid in 2017, which left permanent injuries to the KPK investigator’s face.

In social media, many people vent their frustration against the judge’s ruling that considered the defendant attorney’s plea justifiable which helped reduce the defendant’s prison sentence. The defense that was met with public sarcasm and mockery was the plea suggesting the defendant “accidentally” threw liquid acid to Novel Baswedan’s face. 

Bambang Widjojanto argues that the light sentence only serves as a strong reminder that the court justice on the two defendants; Abdul Kadir Mahulette and Ronny Bugis, is just a ‘farce.’

“It’s as if this is an actual drama. The court should have been looking for the mastermind,” said Bambang Widjojanto after his meeting with Novel. 

Bambang made it clear that the light sentence of the two defendants should not be the main talking point and that what the court should do is uncover the mastermind behind the acid attack against Novel Baswedan. 

Moreover, the former KPK leader said that the whole of Indonesia had been duped by the court justice against the attackers of Novel Baswedan. “It’s not the sentence that is a farce. But it’s the court trial that is the farce,” said Bambang who has the nickname of BW. 

EGI ADYATAMA