JAKARTA: The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has appointed a lawyer from the Trisakti Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Trisakti) to defend major graft suspect Hengky Samuel Daud, the commission chairman said.

"We suggested a lawyer from LBH Trisakti to defend Daud, but a decision has not been made yet," KPK spokesman Johan Budi told reporters in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Since Hengky was arrested last month, he has attended every questioning session at the commission without a lawyer, despite the Criminal Procedure Code stating that a suspect has the right to be accompanied by a legal representative. Hengky, the director of PT Istana Sarana Raya, went into hiding in 2005 when the KPK began investigating his alleged involvement in a scandal worth Rp 300 billion (US$30 million). The misappropriated funds were allocated for the purchase of fire engines for the North Sumatra, Riau, Bengkulu, West Java, Bali and South Sulawesi provincial administrations, arranged by the Home Ministry.

The commission arrested him last month at his residence in Pondok Indah, South Jakarta. - JP

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