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Lawyer admits receiving money from e-ID case
Popular lawyer Hotma Sitompoel admitted on Monday that he had accepted US$400,000 from Irman and Sugiharto, the two high-ranking officials at the Home Ministry who are now defendants in the electronic identity card (e-ID) graft case, when they asked for his legal assistance.
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An official scans an applicant's retina to collect data for an e-ID card in Menteng, Central Jakarta, Sept. 14, 2016. (JP/Dhoni Setiawan)
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opular lawyer Hotma Sitompoel admitted on Monday that he had accepted US$400,000 from Irman and Sugiharto, the two high-ranking officials at the Home Ministry who are now defendants in the electronic identity card (e-ID) graft case, when they asked for his legal assistance
“I have given the money to the Corruption Eradication Committee [KPK],” Hotma said on Monday during the e-ID trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, as quoted by tribunnews.com.
Hotma said he was first assigned to give legal assistance for Home Ministry officials who were reported to the Jakarta Police in relation to the e-ID project bidding.
Hotma said he was introduced to Irman and Sugiharto by the chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives, which oversees regional administrations, Chairuman Harahap.
“I did a respectable thing and I received a fee for what I did. When the KPK investigated it, they said the money was not from the Home Ministry, so I felt dishonorable and I paid the money back,” Hotma said.
(Read also: Former Golkar chairman worried e-ID graft case could affect party)
Hotma received $400,000 and Rp 150 million (US$11,260) for the assistance.
He said the Rp 150 million was still in his office. KPK investigators said only the $400,000 related to the graft case. (hol)
