KPK grills senior prosecutor in Urip bribery case

The Jakarta Post ,  Jakarta   |  Wed, 03/12/2008 11:55 AM  |  National

The national graft body has questioned a senior prosecutor as a part of a major bribery investigation.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) questioned the East Jakarta prosecutor's office chief, Djoko Widodo, on Tuesday as a witness in the bribery case against prosecutor Urip Tri Gunawan.

Djoko and Urip were reportedly colleagues during Djoko's time as head of the subdirectorate for special crimes at the Attorney General's Office, before he assumed the top job at the East Jakarta prosecutor's office.

Urip led a team of 10 AGO prosecutors in investigating the alleged embezzlement of Bank Indonesia liquidity support funds by Sjamsul Nursalim, former Bank Dagang Negara Indonesia owner and current head of PT Gadjah Tunggal.

The AGO dropped the investigations into Sjamsul and another tycoon, Anthony Salim, on Feb. 29 due to a lack of evidence.

Two days later the KPK arrested Urip for accepting US$660,000 in cash from businesswoman Artalita Suryani, who was linked to Sjamsul.

The graft body alleged the money was a bribe although both Urip and Artalita insisted it was for a gemstone transaction.

At a news conference earlier Tuesday, KPK chairman Antasari Azhar refused to explain Djoko's connection to Urip or Artalita in the bribery case.

Antasari said Djoko could give helpful information for developing the ongoing bribery investigation, but declined to specify the line of questioning.

"We'll see the results later," the KPK chief said.

He said the KPK also questioned other witnesses, including Urip's secretary Mutiah and AGO internal security officer Wagiyo.

"We will summon the AGO director of investigation M. Salim and deputy attorney general for special crimes Kemas Yahya Rahman on Wednesday," he said.

Salim and Kemas, both Urip's superiors, have been summoned as witnesses in the Urip case, Antasari said.

Also questioned Tuesday was Artalita, who arrived at the KPK's office at 10:30 a.m. She declined to speak to waiting journalists.

Her lawyer O.C. Kaligis said his client lent Urip the $660,000 to help him start a gemstone business.

"That's her money, not the state's," he said.

Kaligis said Artalita met Urip five years ago and did not know he was a prosecutor.

Artalita is currently in custody at the Pondok Bambu Women's Detention Center in East Jakarta. Urip is being held at the Brigade Mobile Detention Center in Kelapa Dua, Depok, south of Jakarta. (ewd)

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