T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the National Police were at loggerheads again on Friday as graft suspect Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo intentionally skipped a questioning session.

Instead of presenting himself before KPK investigators, Djoko, the key suspect in a case centering on the procurement of vehicle simulators, questioned the KPK’s authority to summon him.

Djoko, a former chief of the National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas), sent his lawyers to the KPK building to state that the case was being handled by the National Police.

This contradicted the National Police’s commitment to fully support the fight against corruption.

Meanwhile, Djoko’s lawyer Juniver Girsang said his client skipped the questioning session because there were still legal problems with the case.

“There are two institutions that are dealing with the case, the KPK and the National Police. This has confused our client over which institution has genuine authority,” he said.

“We are awaiting a Supreme Court decision on which institution has the right to proceed with the case,” Juniver said. He added that Djoko would report the antigraft body for confiscating police documents in July.

Meanwhile, KPK spokesman Johan Budi said that the KPK would summon Djoko again next week.

“We have received a letter from him [Djoko] and our investigators will examine whether or not his reasons comply with the law,” he said, referring to the law that allows the KPK to forcefully call upon witnesses or suspects who refuse a third summons.

Johan said that any suspect had the right to file a complaint or question the KPK’s authority, but such actions would not affect the investigation. “But we will proceed with the case,” he added.

The KPK named Djoko its main suspect in early August and alleged that he had abused his authority to enrich himself and others around him and causing state losses worth Rp 190 billion (US$19.81 million) in the procurement of 700 two-wheel and 556 four-wheel vehicle simulators last year.

Although the KPK was the first institution to take on the case, the National Police insisted on taking control.

Law No. 30/2002 on the Corruption Eradication Commission stipulates that other law enforcement institutions must stop investigating a case if the KPK is involved.

Earlier, four officers from Korlantas — Adj. Comr. Wisnu Budhhaya, Adj. Comr. Wandi Rustiwan, Comr. Endah Purwaningsih and Comr. Ni Nyoman Sumartini — also failed to show up at the KPK to testify for Djoko, and argued that their names were spelled incorrectly on the summons letters the antigraft body had sent to the National Police.

Later, however, all four attended for questioning.

The National Police recently withdrew 20 of its members who were working as investigators at the antigraft body, which many believed was a move to interfere with the KPK’s work on the vehicle procurement case because it had the potential to implicate high-ranking officials within the police.

The KPK’s bold moves in its attempts to curb corruption have allegedly raised concerns from members of state institutions, given that the antigraft body has jailed a number of politicians and individuals linked to government agencies.

A move to revise the KPK law, which many believe is an effort to weaken the KPK, is being initiated by the House of Representatives.

Lawmakers plan to axe the KPK’s authority to prosecute corruption cases through revisions of the law.

The House’s legislation body has also proposed to remove the KPK’s wiretapping power. (cor)