Antasari reported concerns over Nasrudin plot to Kapolri: witness

A high-ranking police officer confirmed Tuesday that former antigraft leader Antasari Azhar, who is currently on trial for murder, had reported to the National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri that he had received an SMS message that suggested murder victim Nasrudin Zulkarnaen was plotting to blackmail him.

National Police's Brig. Gen. Suhardi Alius, former personal secretary for the National Police chief, said Bambang had told him in early January to invite South Jakarta police chief Sr. Comr. Chairul Anwar to  follow up Antasari's report.

"The National Police chief asked him [Chairul] to make a team to identify who had sent the text message to Antasari," he said in a hearing at the South Jakarta District Court.

A few weeks later, he went on, the team reported that the threatening SMS has been sent by Nasrudin and his third wife Rhani Juliani.

"But they said there was no criminal violation," he said.

Antasari is currently on trial for allegedly plotting the murder of Nasrudin, a director at state pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran.

Nasrudin was killed in a drive-by shooting near Moderland golf course in Tangerang, Banten, in March this year.

In their indictment, prosecutors alleged Antasari had been having an affair with Rhani. They claimed Nasrudin had found out and later hounded Antasari's family about the affair, which they said had led to Antasari arranging to have Nasrudin killed.

It was reported that Antasari, then chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), secured help from businessman and close friend Sigid Haryo Wibisono, who provided the cash, and Wiliardi, who recruited the hit men, to execute the murder plan.