The Enforcement of Anti-Corruption Laws in Indonesia and Sierra Leone: A Socio-Legal Perspective

Authors

  • Thomas Sheku Marah Nusa Putra University, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35719/rch.v5i3.369

Keywords:

Corruption, Law Enforcement, Indonesia, Sierra Leone

Abstract

Corruption stands as a major threat that affects governance systems, economic progress, and justice in both Indonesia and Sierra Leone. The anti-corruption legal frameworks, which include Law No. 31 of 1999 and the Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Act of 2008 (amended in 2019), face major socio-legal Challenges during enforcement. The article utilizes a socio-legal methodology for comparing anti-corruption enforcement performance between Indonesia and Sierra Leone. The paper examines institutional mechanisms through the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), together with the Sierra Leone Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), to evaluate their achievements and constraints within their respective political and cultural environments. The research shows that political interference, weak institutions, and low public confidence exist in both countries, whereas enforcement bodies maintain different levels of independence and authority. The research establishes that institutional independence requires strengthening, public participation needs enhancement, and international cooperation should be promoted through a comparison of these two jurisdictions. The article advances knowledge about anti-corruption law enforcement dynamics while providing valuable policy insights for developing democracies which face corruption challenges including Indonesia and Sierra Leone.

Author Biography

Thomas Sheku Marah, Nusa Putra University, Indonesia

Thomas Sheku Marah is an undergraduate student of International Law at Nusa Putra University, Sukabumi, Indonesia. He graduated from Methodist Boys High School in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 2022, and has since been actively engaged in volunteerism, language studies, and community development initiatives.

He is the founder of the Salone Future Leaders Foundation, a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering children and youth in rural Sierra Leone through education and civic engagement. His work has reached over 5,000 young people across Kurubonla Village, Mongo Town, and Falaba District. Marah has also participated in international cultural and academic programs, including representing Sierra Leone at the International Cultural Program (ICP) in Makassar, Indonesia.

His research interests center on international law, anti-corruption, governance, human rights, and youth empowerment. With a strong commitment to justice and development, Marah aspires to contribute to strengthening global legal frameworks while advancing social transformation in Sierra Leone and beyond.

References

Book

Butt, Simon, and Tim Lindsey. Corruption and Law in Indonesia. London: Routledge, 2019.

Gberie, Lansana. A Dirty War in West Africa: The RUF and the Destruction of Sierra Leone. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2005.

Irfan, Irfan. Analisis Pembiayaan Mudarrabah Perbankan Syariah di Indonesia. Lhokseumawe: Unimal Press, 2018.

Johnston, Michael. Syndromes of Corruption: Wealth, Power, and Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005.

Johnston, Michael. Corruption, Contention and Reform: The Power of Deep Democratization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2014.

Klitgaard, Robert. Controlling Corruption. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1988.

Rose-Ackerman, Susan, and Bonnie Palifka. Corruption and Government: Causes, Consequences, and Reform. 2nd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2016.

Satriana, I Made Wahyu Chandra, and Ni Made Liana Dewi. Sistem Peradilan Pidana Perspektif Restorative Justice. Denpasar: Udayana University Press, 2021.

Solikin, Nur. Pengantar Metodologi Penelitian Hukum. Pasuruan: Penerbit Qiara Media, 2021.

Journal

Alatas, Syed Hussein. “Corruption and the Colonial Legacy in Southeast Asia.” Journal of Southeast Asian Studies 25, no. 2 (1994): 321–336.

Börzel, Tanja, and Thomas Risse. “Governance without a State: Can It Work?” Regulation & Governance 1, no. 2 (2007): 1–22.

Conteh, Abdulai. “Civil Society and the Anti-Corruption Struggle in Sierra Leone.” Journal of Modern African Studies 59, no. 2 (2021): 245–264.

Conteh, Abdulai. “Reforming the Anti-Corruption Legal Framework in Sierra Leone.” Journal of African Law 64, no. 3 (2020): 415–432. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0021855320000239.

Conteh, Abdulai. “The Politics of Anti-Corruption Reform in Sierra Leone.” African Affairs 120, no. 480 (2021): 519–540.

Fombad, Charles Manga. “Constitutional Entrenchment of Anti-Corruption Agencies in Africa: Opportunities and Challenges.” Journal of African Law 65, no. 3 (2021): 411–432.

Haysom, Nicholas. “Transitional Justice and State-Building: Lessons from Sierra Leone.” International Journal of Transitional Justice 5, no. 3 (2011): 368–388.

Hiariej, Eddy O.S. “The Dynamics of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Indonesia: Between Independence and Political Pressure.” Indonesian Journal of Law and Society 2, no. 1 (2021): 55–74. https://doi.org/10.19184/ijls.v2i1.18825.

Iskandar, Pranoto. “The Crisis of Judicial Independence in Indonesia: The Case of the Anti-Corruption Court.” Asian Journal of Comparative Law 13, no. 1 (2018): 145–168.

Jalloh, Charles Chernor. “Anti-Corruption Efforts in Post-War Sierra Leone: Beyond the Law.” African Journal of International and Comparative Law 29, no. 2 (2021): 207–230. https://doi.org/10.3366/ajicl.2021.0379.

Quah, Jon S.T. “Combating Corruption in Asian Countries: What Lessons Have We Learned?” Public Administration and Development 31, no. 1 (2011): 22–35.

Reno, William. “Anti-Corruption Efforts in Post-War Sierra Leone: Politics and Agency.” Journal of Modern African Studies 47, no. 1 (2009): 71–90.

Rothstein, Bo, and Jan Teorell. “What Is Quality of Government? A Theory of Impartial Government Institutions.” Governance 21, no. 2 (2008): 165–190.

Triastuti, Septiani, Meyfia Ardina Pahlevi, and Klaudiana Alfrida Sulastri Putri. “Analisis Kajian Ontologi dalam Penerapan Restorative Justice Bagi Penyalahguna Narkotika di Indonesia.” Gudang Jurnal Multidisplin Ilmu 1, no. 6 (n.d.): 183–186. https://doi.org/10.59435/gjmi.v1i6.179.

Warburton, Eve. “Oligarchs, Politicians, and Anti-Corruption Politics in Indonesia.” Pacific Affairs 93, no. 1 (2020): 5–27. https://doi.org/10.5509/20209315.

Widiartana, Gregorius. “Paradigma Keadilan Restoratif dalam Penanggulangan Kejahatan dengan Menggunakan Hukum Pidana.” Justitia et Pax 33, no. 1 (2017): 1–23. https://doi.org/10.24002/jep.v33i1.1418.

Official Documents, Reports, and Institutional Publications

African Union. Convention on Preventing and Combating Corruption. Maputo: AU, 2003.

Global Financial Integrity. Illicit Financial Flows to and from Developing Countries: 2009–2018. Washington, DC: GFI, 2020.

Human Rights Watch. Indonesia: Revisions to Anti-Corruption Law Threaten KPK. New York: HRW, 2019.

———. Indonesia: Weakening of the KPK Undermines Rule of Law. New York: HRW, 2019.

Indonesia Corruption Watch. Civil Society Statement on the Weakening of the KPK. Jakarta: ICW, 2020.

International Commission of Jurists. Indonesia: Retreat from Judicial Independence. Geneva: ICJ, 2019.

International Monetary Fund (IMF). Digitalization and Public Finance Accountability in Emerging Economies. Washington, DC: IMF, 2021.

———. Sierra Leone: Staff Report for the 2021 Article IV Consultation. Washington, DC: IMF, 2021.

Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK). Annual Report 2018. Jakarta: KPK, 2019.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Indonesia: Public Governance Review. Paris: OECD, 2021.

———. Innovations in Public Service Delivery: African Case Studies. Paris: OECD, 2020.

Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative (StAR). Barriers to Asset Recovery. Washington, DC: World Bank & UNODC, 2020.

Transparency International. Global Corruption Barometer: Africa 2019. Berlin: TI, 2019.

———. Global Corruption Report: Judicial Integrity. Berlin: TI, 2019.

Transparency International Indonesia. Asset Recovery in Indonesia: Challenges and Prospects. Jakarta: TI Indonesia, 2021.

———. Public Trust Survey on Anti-Corruption Institutions. Jakarta: TI Indonesia, 2018.

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Justice Sector Needs Assessment in Sierra Leone. Freetown: UNDP, 2020.

United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Best Practices in Anti-Corruption Agencies: Case Studies from Africa. Vienna: UNODC, 2020.

———. United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC): Implementation Review. Vienna: UNODC, 2021.

World Bank. Judicial Modernization and Reform in Developing Countries. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2020.

———. Sierra Leone Governance Diagnostic Survey. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2020.

Downloads

Published

2024-12-31

How to Cite

Marah, T. S. (2024). The Enforcement of Anti-Corruption Laws in Indonesia and Sierra Leone: A Socio-Legal Perspective. Rechtenstudent, 5(3), 196–210. https://doi.org/10.35719/rch.v5i3.369