Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor Wawan Yunarwanto told the bench during the hearing's opening at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday that Setya was unable to attend because he had an engagement related to his position as Golkar Party chairman.

Separately, KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah confirmed that the anti-graft body had received a letter from the House on Setya’s absence.

“[He] could not attend the summons to testify as a witness at the hearing because he had another engagement; hence, he asked that the court replace the agenda of hearing his testimony with reading out his interrogation file,” Febri told journalists at the KPK headquarters in Jakarta on Friday.

This was the second time Setya had failed to appear at the court to deliver his testimony in connection with the e-ID card hearing. He also did not appear at the Oct. 9 hearing, which was also scheduled to hear his testimony, because he had a medical checkup that day.

When presiding judge Jhon Halasan Butar Butar realized that this was the second time Setya had failed to meet a summons, he asked the prosecution to explain its plans regarding the witness.

“We will keep trying to get the witness to testify,” Wawan replied. “We will reschedule [the summons].” (ebf)

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