Supreme Court Denies Hiding Key Witness in KPK Graft Investigation
Jakarta. The Supreme Court has dismissed accusations that it is hiding one of its employees who is considered a key witness by the national antigraft agency in alleged corruption at the North Jakarta District Court.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is currently looking for the man, identified as Royani, after he twice failed to show up for questioning in the case implicating Supreme Court secretary general Nurhadi. The witness has been banned from traveling abroad for six months, starting early this month.
The antigraft agency alleges that Royani and Nurhadi have a close relationship.
KPK deputy chairman Laode Syarif said his office was still unable to determine whether Royani was hiding on his own accord, or whether he was doing so with help from others.
"We will send [summons] letters to the Supreme Court," Laode said on Tuesday (17/05).
However, Supreme Court spokesman Suhadi said that while his office does require employees to show up for work, it could not force them to do so.
"If there are accusations that someone is helping him to hide from the authorities, then just find those who are doing so," Suhadi said on Wednesday. "The KPK has the authority to use force."
Suhadi added that the antigraft agency should send its summonses to Royani and not to the Supreme Court.
Nurhadi was issued with a six-month travel ban late last month when the KPK named North Jakarta District Court clerk Edy Nasution a suspect for allegedly receiving more than Rp 50 million ($3,700) in kickbacks from a middleman named Dody Supeno in connection with a case review.
The KPK has since seized a total of Rp 1.7 billion in six different currencies from Nurhadi's residence.
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