Jakarta. Retired police general Benny Mamoto attributed the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) recent losses in pre-trial hearings to a lack of professionalism among its investigators.

Benny, who is currently vying for a position on the KPK Oversight Body, made the remarks during an interview with lawmakers on Wednesday as part of the selection process.

“Regarding the series of pre-trial losses suffered by the KPK, I’ve analyzed the reasons and found unprofessional conduct on the part of KPK investigators,” Benny told members of the House of Representatives’ Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, during a hearing at the legislature complex in Jakarta.

The KPK’s most recent setback occurred when a Jakarta court cleared former South Kalimantan Governor Sahbirin Noor of corruption charges, citing procedural violations during the investigation.

The anti-corruption agency also lost a pre-trial motion filed by former Vice Justice Minister Edward Hiariej, who had been accused of accepting bribes.

Benny, who also serves as a commissioner on the National Police Commission, criticized the KPK for failing to coordinate effectively with other law enforcement agencies, such as the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office, when handling major corruption cases.

He pledged to strengthen inter-agency coordination and enhance the professionalism of KPK investigators if appointed to the oversight body, emphasizing that such improvements are critical to avoiding further losses in court.

Benny also expressed strong support for the KPK’s anti-corruption raids, especially when backed by concrete evidence. He noted that these operations often improve the agency’s chances of securing convictions.

Anti-corruption raids require robust intelligence work and the use of technology, such as wiretapping, to track suspects and gather evidence.

He mentioned the effectiveness of catching suspects red-handed, as it provides immediate evidence of wrongdoing and allows investigators to expand their cases to implicate additional suspects.

“As far as I know, the KPK relies heavily on these raids because when suspects are caught in the act, the evidence is already in place. It’s much easier to prove a criminal act and build the case further,” he added.