Indonesia's attorney-general's office said today it would appeal the Supreme Court's reversal of a graft conviction against former president Suharto's fugitive son, calling the ruling a grave mistake.
The court overturned on Monday the decision it made in September last year that found Hutomo Tommy Mandala Putra guilty of a land scam involving his retail firm Goro Batara Sakti and state logistics agency Bulog.
The former racing car driver has been on the run since November from an 18-month jail sentence over the land scam. Police have so far been unable to catch him.
"The Supreme Court judge has made a grave mistake. We will file an appeal in a week or two," attorney-general's office spokesman Mr Mulyohardjo said.
Many activists, legal practitioners and politicians have also slammed the Supreme Court's decision as a major blow to fighting corruption in Indonesia.
Mr Mulyohardjo said prosecutors had the right to appeal Monday's decision even though Supreme Court deputy chief Mr Taufiq has said it was irreversible.
Mr Mulyohardjo disputed new evidence the Supreme Court said had emerged which allowed it to overturn its guilty verdict.
Tommy still faces police investigation for his alleged role in the murder of the Supreme Court judge who sentenced him. He is also being investigated over possible links to several fatal bombings in Jakarta.