Jakarta. The Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, will charge Supreme Court Justice Gazalba Saleh with money laundering after he was acquitted by a court in Bandung of corruption on Tuesday.

Prosecutors have demanded a prison sentence of 11 years for the justice for allegedly taking bribes in his handling of a civil case but the Bandung court ruled that there was no incriminating evidence and ordered his immediate release from KPK’s detention facility.

KPK spokesman Ali Fikri said on Wednesday the commission will pursue a new charge against Gazalba while challenging his acquittal to the Supreme Court.

“The KPK will continue the money laundering investigation against the suspect, GS, until the case is tried by the court,” he said.

That means the Supreme Court judge could be rearrested and detained ahead of his trial after he was allowed to go home on Tuesday evening based on the court order.

“The KPK has never let a suspect go away without being detained,” Ali said.

He also refused to concede defeat in the graft case against the justice.

"The KPK has very strong evidence in the case so we will immediately lodge an appeal to the Supreme Court," Ali said.

Gazalba was arrested in December last year for allegedly taking bribes in his handling of a bankruptcy lawsuit against a small lender in Central Java.

His arrest came more than two months after fellow Supreme Court Judge Sudrajad Dimyati was named a graft suspect for the same case.

According to the KPK, Gazalba was promised 202,000 Singapore dollars by businessmen who sought bankruptcy ruling against financing cooperative Intidana.

The KPK has named 13 suspects in the case, mostly Supreme Court clerks and registrars.

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