redrich Yunadi, a former lawyer of graft defendant Setya Novanto who is being tried for obstruction of justice, has threatened to refuse to attend future hearings of his case in an outburst at court following the Jakarta Corruption Court's rejection of his request to drop the charge against him.
At Monday's hearing, the judicial panel of the Corruption Court overruled Fredrich's objection on the Corruption Eradication Commission's (KPK) decision to name him a suspect in the case, and decided to proceed with his trial.
“If this is their decision, we will not attend future hearings of this case anymore, because we have our rights! If you insist on forcing your rulings, we won’t come to the next hearing,” Fredrich said in court as the judges prepared to read out their interlocutory decision.
The judges, however, asserted that the trial proceedings would continue on March 15, when the court would hear witness testimonies. In responding to the defendant’s threat, presiding judge Syaifuddin Zuhri said prosecutors “should know what they must do regarding the matter”.
The Criminal Law Procedures Code (KUHAP) stipulates that a defendant can be tried in absentia.
KPK prosecutors indicted Fredrich for obstructing the anti-graft body's investigation into Setya's alleged involvement in the e-ID graft case, which reportedly caused Rp 2.3 trillion (US$161 million) in state losses. The lawyer was suspected of manipulating medical records to allow Setya to be hospitalized and thereby evade questioning by the KPK. (ebf)
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