T

he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigators may not be able to summon graft suspect Brig. Gen. Didik Purnomo for questioning as the National Police want the inquiry to take place at the police compound.

Didik is a key suspect in the graft-ridden driving simulator procurement at the National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas).

He was the Traffic Corps deputy chief when the Rp 200 billion procurement project took place.

KPK deputy chairman Busyro Muqoddas said that National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Sutarman had specifically made the request to him.

“Pak Sutarman called me earlier today [Tuesday], saying that he would allow the KPK to question Didik under one condition: that questioning is held where he is currently detained,” Busyro told reporters in Yogyakarta on Tuesday evening.

Didik is now being detained at the police’s Mobile Brigade headquarters in Kelapa Dua, Depok, some 25 kilometers from the KPK office.

According to Busyro, the chief detective did not mention any conditions for questioning two other detained suspects, businessmen Budi Susanto, the director of PT Cipta Mandiri Metalindo Abadi who is currently detained at the National Police detention center in Jakarta, and Sukotjo S. Bambang, the director of PT Inovasi Teknologi Indonesia who is being held at Kebon Waru Penitentiary in Bandung,
West Java.

Busyro denied speculation that the KPK had to fulfill the police request due to pressure.

“That is merely the public’s opinion. There is no such thing,” he said.

Busyro said that the KPK would not mind carrying out the questioning as requested by the National Police, adding that he would pass on the request to KPK’s prosecution director Warih Sadono.

“The team of investigators will arrange the questioning schedule,” he said.

The KPK named Didik and his former boss Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo as suspects in the case in early August. Both were suspended from their posts a few days later.

The National Police have insisted on conducting their own investigation into the case, even though the KPK had first launched a probe into the accusations.

The National Police Criminal Investigation Directorate (Bareskrim) has named Didik, Budi Santoso and Sukotjo S. Bambang as suspects in its investigation, as well as Adj. Sr. Comr. Teddy Rusmawan, the head of the procurement project, and Korlantas treasurer Comr. Legimo.

Bareskrim questioned Djoko twice as a witness in August.

Early this month, the KPK questioned four middle-ranking police officers as witnesses in this scandal.

KPK investigators questioned the police officers for nearly 12 hours.

The four officers, are Adj. Comr. Wisnu Budhhaya, Adj. Sr. Comr. Wandy Rustiwan, Adj. Sr. Comr. Endah Purwaningsih and Comr. Ni Nyoman Suartini.

Scheduled to give statements a day earlier, they skipped questioning, saying their summons bore
incorrect names and ranks.

This case has caused a rift between the KPK and the National Police.