News Summary:
- Hinca Panjaitan emphatically demanded the dismissal of Karo District Attorney Danke Rajagukguk and all involved staff due to what he deemed “fatal errors.”
- Hinca suggested that the prosecution apparatus needed to “re-learn,” asserting that the issues transcended mere technicalities and touched upon the fundamental quality of law enforcement.
- Amsal Christy Sitepu was ultimately acquitted in an alleged village video project corruption case, yet the controversy continues to escalate.
Teknowarta – A wave of intense criticism surrounding the handling of videographer Amsal Sitepu’s case reached a fever pitch within the hallowed halls of the Indonesian parliament.
The atmosphere, initially formal and subdued, quickly grew tense as Hinca Panjaitan, a member of Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Democratic Faction, openly unleashed his fury. He declared that serious flaws marred the legal process and demanded drastic measures against the local law enforcement officials responsible.
Resounding Demand: “Remove All Involved!”
During a parliamentary session at the DPR Building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, April 2, 2026, Hinca unreservedly called for the immediate removal of Danke Rajagukguk, the Head of the Karo District Attorney’s Office (Kajari Karo), along with his entire team. “So, Mr. Kajati, through the leadership, I will not retract a single word to ensure this proceeds correctly. Remove the Kajari, remove all these section heads, everyone involved in this case, remove them!” Hinca thundered. “And after this, you must apologize and withdraw these actions because the errors committed are fatal.” His high-pitched tone powerfully conveyed a profound disappointment with a legal process he perceived as flawed from its very inception.
Deemed in Need of “Re-Learning”
Beyond the urgent demand for dismissals, Hinca further lambasted the professionalism of the prosecutors handling the case. He went so far as to suggest the necessity of re-training for the implicated public prosecutors. “Professionally speaking, we cannot simply let this go. In our words, first remove them, send them back to school, make them re-learn so that everything is done properly,” he asserted. This statement underscored his conviction that the underlying issues were not merely technical glitches but fundamentally concerned the very quality and integrity of law enforcement itself.
Call for Apology Extending to the Central Authority
Hinca’s criticism didn’t stop at the regional level; he also pulled higher echelons of the Attorney General’s Office into the fray. He specifically urged Harli Siregar, the Head of the North Sumatra High Prosecutor’s Office, to convey a message to Attorney General Sanitiar Burhanuddin, requesting that Anang Supriatna, the Head of the Legal Information Center at the Attorney General’s Office, also issue an apology. This demand was directly linked to Anang’s perceived defense of the Karo District Attorney’s Office when Amsal’s case was still ongoing. “Thus, my conclusion is that whatever the decision here, it must serve as an honorable lesson,” Hinca firmly stated, emphasizing the need for accountability across the judicial hierarchy.
Karo District Attorney’s Silence Fuels Controversy
Amidst the torrent of criticism, Danke Rajagukguk, the Karo District Attorney, chose to remain silent when approached for comment after the session. This deliberate lack of response further intensified the spotlight on the burgeoning controversy and the wider implications for judicial transparency.
The genesis of this contentious case traces back to a village profile video project in Karo Regency between 2020 and 2022. Amsal Sitepu, through his company CV Promiseland, offered video production services valued at approximately Rp 30 million per village to 20 villages across four sub-districts. The core of the problem emerged when these proposals were allegedly marked up. An analysis by the Karo Regency Inspectorate estimated the reasonable cost to be around Rp 24.1 million per village. This discrepancy in value was subsequently identified as a potential state financial loss. Prosecutors even alleged a state loss of Rp 202 million, an figure vehemently disputed by Amsal’s legal team. “This is what we emphasize most. Where did this Rp 200 million calculation come from?” questioned Amsal’s lawyer, Willyam Raja Dev.
Culminating in an Acquittal Verdict
The protracted legal journey ultimately reached its conclusion when the court ruled that Amsal Sitepu was not guilty. This acquittal verdict became a critical turning point, triggering widespread evaluation and the sharp criticism from the DPR directed at law enforcement officials. Consequently, the case has evolved beyond a mere legal dispute, serving now as a significant reflection on accountability, professionalism, and public trust in Indonesia’s justice system.
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(TribunTrends/Kompas)