Iqbal denies KPK bribery allegation

Bribery defendant and member of the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU), Mohmmad Iqbal, has denied receiving money from former Lippo Group top executives in exchange for ruling favorably on a broadcasting rights dispute.

Standing on his first hearing session Iqbal told the court that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors had filed a “premature case” for alleging him of bribery and asked the court to drop the charges.

KPK said in their indictment that the defendant received bribe money from former Lippo Group top brass Billy Sindoro for ruling in favor of Direct Vision, a subsidiary of Lippo Group, in a KPPU ruling regarding broadcasting rights for the English Premier League (EPL) soccer tournament on Aug. 29, 2008.

Separately, Iqbal's lawyer Maqdir Ismail said the money his client received was not bribe, but the KPK gave the defendant no time to report the money to the anti-graft commission.

“The defendant never had any relations with PT Direct Vision and did not help it to win the case,” he told the court, adding that by law his client had 30 days to report the money he received to the KPK,

Both Iqbal and Billy were named suspects after the KPK caught them red-handed exchanging a black bag full of cash at a hotel in Central Jakarta on Sept. 16, 2008. In a separate trial, KPK prosecutors have demanded a four-year jail sentence and a Rp 250 million fine for Billy. (dre)