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KPK to move on with Eddy bribery case after pretrial dismissal
The South Jakarta District Court has thrown out the charges against the former deputy law and human rights minister, citing a procedural error by the KPK in gathering sufficient preliminary evidence to name Eddy as a suspect in a bribery case.
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Edward “Eddy“ Omar Sharif Hiariej (center), then deputy law and human rights minister, leaves the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in Jakarta on Dec. 4, 2023, after he was questioned as a bribery suspect in relation to an ownership dispute over a nickel mining company in South Sulawesi. (Antara/Indrianto Eko Suwarso)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has decided to continue with its investigation into a bribery case implicating Edward “Eddy” Omar Sharif Hiariej, after a court dismissed the charges against the former deputy law and human rights minister due to a procedural error.
At a hearing on the pretrial motion filed by Eddy, sole judge Estiono of the South Jakarta District Court ruled on Tuesday that the KPK did not follow the correct legal procedure before naming Eddy as a suspect in a bribery case in relation to an ownership dispute over a nickel mining company in South Sulawesi.
Estiono said the evidence the KPK had gathered on Nov. 30 came after the antigraft body had named Eddy as a bribery suspect, sometime between late October to early November.
Because the plaintiff was named as a suspect without the legally required minimum of two pieces of “legitimate evidence”, the court concluded the charges against Eddy were “invalid and not legally binding”, the judge said as he read out the ruling on Tuesday.
Read also: Deputy law minister skips corruption interrogation after resigning
Interim KPK chair Nawawi Pomolango said immediately after Tuesday’s hearing that the antigraft body would study the ruling before deciding on its next move.
Deputy KPK chair Alexander Marwata meanwhile said the commission would respect the court’s decision, which merely pointed to a procedural issue and not the substance of the case.
