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Court rejects Romahurmuziy’s pretrial motion
Romahurmuziy's lawyers argued that their client did not cause state losses by accepting the kickbacks.
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United Development Party chairman M. Romahurmuziy (second right) speaks at a press conference recently. (Tempo/-)
T
he South Jakarta District Court has rejected former United Development Party (PPP) chairman Muhammad “Romy” Romahurmuziy’s pretrial motion against the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), upholding the antigraft body’s decision to name him a suspect in a bribery case centering on a promotion at the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Judge Agus Widodo said on Tuesday that the KPK's decision to name Romy a suspect was valid according to the law, kompas.com reported. He also said the investigation into Romy had been conducted according to the regulations.
In the pretrial motion, Romy’s lawyers argued the suspect naming against their client was invalid as the amount of money accepted by the former PPP chairman was less than Rp 1 billion (US$69,388) and did not cause state losses.
Minutes before judge Agus read the verdict, Romy’s lawyer Maqdir Ismail told the bench that his client had withdrawn his pretrial motion against the KPK.
“We convey our client’s written wish [to withdraw the motion]. However, it is up to the judge whether the verdict will be read or not,” Maqdir said during the hearing.
Judge Agus eventually read the verdict because a member of the KPK's legal team demanded that the judge read the verdict.
On March 16, the KPK arrested and named Romy, an ally of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo -- who is seeking a second term in office -- a suspect in a bribery case involving the Religious Affairs Ministry.
Graft busters suspected the PPP politician of accepting Rp 300 million for rigging a promotion at the ministry. The KPK also named two other officials suspects of graft.
Separately, KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah told journalists the antigraft body had postponed the detention of Romy as he had been hospitalized since Monday evening in the National Police Hospital in East Jakarta due to illness.
