Setya Novanto's Ex-Lawyer to Be Questioned in Obstruction of Justice Inquiry
Jakarta. Setya Novanto's ex-lawyer is scheduled to face questioning on Friday (12/01) for alleged attempts to hamper a graft probe against his former client.
Fredrich Yunadi, who defended the former House of Representatives speaker in a high-profile graft case involving electronic national identity cards (e-KTP), will be questioned as suspect. He had allegedly helped Setya dodge the graft probe.
Last year, when antigraft investigators went to arrest Setya, who is currently standing trial in the e-KTP case, he was nowhere to be found at his home in Jakarta.
The investigators, who later named Setya a graft fugitive, placed him in custody after a car accident in which he was involved. Setya was rushed to hospital.
According to a Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigation, which involved 25 witnesses, Fredrich allegedly made a phone call to book a VIP room at the hospital before the crash, KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said on Thursday.
He was named a suspect earlier this week.
Fredrich is also accused of colluding with Bimanesh Sutarjo, a doctor at Medika Permata Hijau, to manipulate Setya's medical data. Bimanesh was also named a suspect.
"We've collected sufficient evidence that there has been possible collusion to hamper the handling of this case," Febri told reporters, adding that on Thursday another doctor from the same hospital was questioned as a witness.
On the same day, KPK investigators also raided Fredrich's office in South Jakarta. Documents, mobile phones and CDs were seized, Febri said.
Fredrich's lawyers, meanwhile, demanded that their client be questioned only after an ethics probe by the Indonesian Advocates Association. The lawyers and Fredrich are all members of the association.
The ethics probe is expected to commence soon, lawyer Sapriyanto Refa said, but declined to give more details.
"We're only seeking a delay to the questioning over a reason for which we can be held accountable," Sapriyanto told reporters at the KPK headquarters after submitting a letter demanding the postponement.
Fredrich can face up to 12 years in jail, if found guilty of obstruction of justice. On Thursday, antigraft investigators raided his office in South Jakarta
He withdrew himself from defending Setya just before his former client was brought to trial. Under Fredrich's defense, Setya had skipped most interrogation sessions by the KPK.
The former House speaker is charged with embezzling $7.3 million from the Rp 5.9 trillion e-KTP project, and can face up to 20 years in jail, if convicted. The case resulted in state losses of Rp 2.3 trillion.
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