Setya claimed he bore no responsibility for what happened in the procurement project for electronic identity cards. The former House speaker conveyed his statement in his defense plea he read out during a hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday.

“The agreement between Irman, Andi and the House Commission II head at the time was outside my responsibility. Moreover, it was conducted before Andi introduced me to Irman,” said Setya as quoted by kompas.com.

He was referring to the former Home Ministry’s population and civil registry director general, Irman, who had been declared guilty in the e-ID case, and Andi Narogong, a businessman who won the procurement project. The head of Commission II overseeing home affairs at the time was Burhanudin Napitupulu.

There had been a discussion on distributing e-ID project funds to House members from the very beginning, Setya said, adding that the meeting where an agreement was reached among Irman, Andi and Burhanudin had taken place in February 2010.

Setya said the distribution of funds had been aimed at smoothing the deliberation of the e-ID project between the Home Ministry and the House. Home Ministry Secretary-General Diah Anggraini also knew about the agreement, he went on.

In previous hearings, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors demanded that the court sentence Setya to 16 years in prison. (gis/ebf)