Jakarta. Disgraced police general Ferdy Sambo has hired former employees of the Corruption Eradication Commission, or KPK, as attorneys ahead of the murder trial against him and his wife Putri Candrawathi.

Ferdy is accused of ordering the July 8 execution-styled murder of his own assistant Brigadier Nofriansyah Yosua Hutabarat and could face the death sentence if convicted.

Former head of KPK’s regulatory division Rasamala Aritonang will become an attorney for him while former KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah will defend Putri, who is accused of being an accessory in the crime.

"After taking considerations into various aspects in this case, I accepted a request to become his attorney,” Rasamala told reporters in Jakarta. 

“The main reason is that Mr. Ferdy has agreed to disclose the true facts behind this case in the upcoming court hearings,” he added without going into details.

Separately, Febri said he agreed to join after carefully learning the case documents and meeting with Putri in person.

"As her lawyer, I will defend Madame Putri objectively according to facts,” Febri said.

He resigned from the commission in September 2020 in protest of the amended KPK law which he accused of weakening its authority in prosecuting high-profile graft cases.

Febri’s allegations have been proven inaccurate because the KPK has since arrested top government officials including ministers, governors, mayors, and most recently a Supreme Court justice for alleged corruption.

Rasamala was one of 57 KPK employees who last year failed to pass the so-called nationalism test, which is required under the amended law to transform all KPK employees into civil servants.