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KPK detains Golkar lawmaker Markus Nari in e-ID graft case
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The KPK building on Jl. HR Rasuna Said, South Jakarta. (JP/Wienda Parwitasari)
T
he Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained Golkar Party lawmaker Markus Nari, more than a year and a half after naming him a suspect in a multi-trillion rupiah e-ID corruption case.
The antigraft body detained the politician after investigators questioned him for more than eight hours on Monday over a case of graft that caused Rp 2.3 trillion (US$161 million) in state losses.
“Markus will be detained for the first 20 days in the KPK’s detention center in Jakarta,” KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said on Monday.
Markus is suspected of marking up the budget for an e-ID project at the House of Representatives. He allegedly accepted Rp 4 billion from Home Ministry official Irman.
The Jakarta Corruption Court found Irman and fellow ministry official Sugiharto guilty in the case in July 2017. They are each currently serving a 15-year prison sentence.
Markus was also named a suspect for perjury and allegedly attempted to obstruct the KPK investigation into the e-ID graft. He allegedly intimidated a trial witness, former Hanura Party lawmaker Miryam S. Haryani, into retracting her testimony.
The Golkar politician is the second politician to be named a suspect in the case after former House speaker Setya Novanto.
Setya, who was the Golkar chairman, was accused of playing a key role in planning a scheme to rig the Rp 5.9 trillion project. The corruption court later found him guilty and sentenced him to 15 years in prison, Rp 500 million in fines and US$7.3 million in restitution fees.
Of the eight individuals named suspects by the antigraft body, seven have been found guilty. The individuals comprise ministry officials, politicians and businesspeople.(jun)
