Lawmaker Benny Kabur Harman of President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party confirmed Monday that he had been present
at two meetings between Muhammad Nazaruddin, currently a graft suspect, and top
officials of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in the past year.
“The two meetings were really held,” Benny told
journalists at the KPK office in Jakarta
after being questioned about the meetings by the KPK ethics council.
The council is probing alleged ethics violations
by KPK deputy chairman Chandra M. Hamzah, former deputy for enforcement Insp.
Gen. Ade Raharja, investigator Adj. Sr. Comr. Rony Samtana and spokesman Johan
Budi.
Nazaruddin, former Democratic Party treasurer,
said he had met with Chandra and Ade in several meetings to negotiate a number
of graft cases under KPK investigation at the time. Benny was present in at
least two of the meetings.
The first meeting was at a Japanese restaurant
in June 2010. Reportedly attending the meeting were Nazaruddin, Benny,
Democratic Party lawmaker Saan Mustofa, Ade and Johan.
Nazaruddin said the first meeting was aimed at
negotiating two corruption allegations involving two Democratic Party members:
Bandung Mayor Dada Rosada and East Kutai Regent Isran Noor.
The second meeting was held at Nazaruddin’s
house in January 2011. Nazaruddin, Benny, Saan and Chandra were allegedly present.
Nazaruddin claimed that he had given money to Chandra in this meeting.
“I attended the meeting at the Japanese
restaurant upon Saan’s invitation. After I learned some graft cases were being
discussed, I then suggested that Pak
Ade not take Nazaruddin’s intervention attempts into account,” Benny said.
“In the meeting at Nazaruddin’s house, there was
no discussion about graft cases at all. I also did not see any transaction as claimed
by Nazaruddin,” he added.
Ade previously admitted to meeting Nazaruddin
twice, although he denied negotiating with Nazaruddin regarding KPK
investigations.
Johan confirmed he had been asked by Ade to
“meet with somebody. I don’t remember whether it was Nazaruddin”.
Nazaruddin is currently under KPK detention
after being arrested by Interpol in Colombia last week.
