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raft suspect Muhammad Nazaruddin has testified before the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) ethics committee that KPK deputy chairman Chandra Hamzah received US$500,000 from a businessman as part of a deal to stop graft investigations.

Nazaruddin’s lawyer Boy Bonjol said on Sunday the bribe was handed over at Nazaruddin’s house by a businessman identified as Andi so that the KPK would no longer probe corruption cases in e-identity card and security guard uniform procurements at the Home Ministry that implicated his company.

“According to Nazaruddin’s testimony in front of the KPK ethics committee, Chandra and Nazaruddin met five times, all of which were also attended by their colleagues,” Boy told The Jakarta Post.

The first meeting was at Mid Plaza Sudirman, the second at Casablanca Apartment, the third at the KPK building, while the fourth and the fifth were at Nazaruddin’s house in Pejaten, South Jakarta, he said.

Boy said Andi gave the money to Chandra at the fourth meeting at Nazaruddin’s house in early 2011, also attended by Democratic Party politician Benny Kabur Harman.

Benny has confirmed at a previous KPK ethics commission hearing that he was present at two meetings between Nazaruddin and senior KPK officials within the past year, including one in Nazaruddin’s house in January this year.

Boy added that Nazaruddin, another Democratic Party politician, Saan Mustofa, businessmen Andi and Wimpi and Chandra were also present at the meeting. Benny, however, has denied that Chandra received a bribe during the meeting.

Boy said Benny and Nazaruddin did not witness Andy’s alleged bribe implicating Chandra, but CCTV at Nazaruddin’s house recorded the incident, which was later viewed by Nazaruddin.

The CCTV recording showed that Chandra left Nazaruddin’s house with a package covered by a black plastic bag he put into his car after a meeting with Andi.

However, Dea Tunggaesti, another lawyer representing Nazaruddin, said the CCTV recording went missing when Nazaruddin was on the run.

Nazaruddin went abroad in May before the KPK declared him a suspect related to a bribery case in the construction of the 2011 SEA Games athlete’s dormitory in Palembang, South Sumatra.

Nazaruddin fled to Singapore for medical treatment and then went to Vietnam, Cambodia, Dominique via Madrid before entering Colombia in Bogota. He was captured in Cartagena, Colombia.

“Nazaruddin said he once made a copy of the CCTV recording when he was in Singapore, therefore, we are now tracking down the copy,” said Dea.

Boy also said his client Nazaruddin testified that Wimpi had bribed Chandra, but he was not sure whether the transaction was on the CCTV recording.

Chandra could not be reached for comment. However, kompas.com reported that Chandra has been barred from giving any commentary before the KPK ethics committee announces the results of its investigations.