T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said on Wednesday that current Golkar Party secretary general Zainuddin Amali could be implicated in a bribery case that also involved former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar.

KPK spokesman Priharsa Nugraha said KPK investigators would not just target suspended Central Tapanuli regent Radja Bonaran Situmeang, the latest individual named a suspect for bribing Akil.

'€œThe investigation will not stop after Bonaran stands trial. We have stepped up our investigation into the case and it is progressing,'€ Priharsa said.

He said that KPK investigators were currently examining court evidence collected in Akil'€™s trial, including details from a wiretapped conversation between Akil and Zainuddin negotiating an Rp 10 billion (US$770,243) bribe to be paid to the then Constitutional Court chief justice for his decision in an East Java election dispute.

Zainuddin, who was recently appointed the Golkar Party'€™s secretary-general by the political camp led by Agung Laksono, served as chairman of Golkar'€™s East Java branch when he contacted Akil regarding the election dispute.

Although the Rp 10 billion bribe never went to Akil, KPK investigators said that an individual that gifts or promises to give something to a state official could be charged with corruption.

Article 13 of the 1999 Corruption Law stipulates the offense could carry a maximum three years behind bars.

The graft trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court also revealed that Akil and Zainuddin had a BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) conversation about a scheme to reject an appeal by Khofifah Indar Parawansa, the losing candidate in the 2013 East Java gubernatorial election.

During the conversation, Akil asked for Rp 10 billion to reject the appeal of Khofifah, who challenged the victory of Golkar-backed candidate Soekarwo.

'€œYour secretary-general [Idrus Marham] was just playing with me. I heard [Setya] Novanto and Nirwan [Bakrie] were willing to pay. But the secretary-general suggested that I only deserved [a] small [amount of money]. Did he think that I was only a lawmaker?'€ Akil said in the wiretapped conversation.

Businessman Nirwan Dermawan Bakrie is the younger brother of Golkar'€™s Aburizal Bakrie, who is also a businessman and media mogul.

Zainuddin replied: '€œNoted. I will coordinate with the East Java team.'€

One day after communicating with Akil, Zainuddin sent him a text message that said, '€œIt'€™s positive [the bribe]. When can we meet?'€

Akil then replied '€œWhen do you have time? Just do it as soon as possible.'€

The two agreed to meet at Akil'€™s house to talk about the bribery scheme, but Akil was arrested on Oct. 2, before the meeting took place for accepting a bribe from Gunung Mas regent Hambit Bintih.

When testifying in Akil'€™s trial last year, Idrus acknowledged that Zainuddin had shown him the BBM conversation but he did not respond to it as he was confident the court would reject Khofifa'€™s appeal.