KPK to find out reasons behind Megawati’s likely refusal to become a witness

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chief Haryono Umar said that KPK investigators would conduct a dialog with a team of lawyers from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to find out the reason behind the likely absence of the party’s chairperson Megawati Soekarnoputri as a witness in a bribery case involving several of the party’s politicians.

“We will ask about their objections and the reasons for [Megawati’s] absence,” Haryono said Saturday, as quoted by Tempointeraktif.com.

The KPK is planning to summon former president Megawati on Monday as a witness in a bribery case surrounding the 2004 election of former Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor Miranda S Goeltom.

The KPK has already arrested a number of legislators, including several from PDI-P, for allegedly receiving bribes in the form of traveler’s checks to ease Miranda’s entry to the post.

Two suspects had asked for Megawati to be presented as a witness to help prove their innocence.

PDI-P legal division chief Gayus Lumbuun said that Megawati will not respond to the KPK’s summons. Instead, a team of the party’s lawyers will visit the KPK office on Monday.

Haryono said that witness testimonies are vital, and thus investigators do have the authority to call any witness. However, he failed to give firm answers about when asked whether the KPK would summon Megawati again should she fail to appear on Monday.