Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has declared the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) secretary general, Hasto Kristiyanto, a suspect in a bribery case involving the appointment of the party's cadre Harun Masiku as a legislator.

"Hasto Kristiyanto took several measures to drive the election of Harun Masiku," KPK chairperson Setyo Budiyanto said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Budiyanto said Hasto colluded with other suspects to bribe a former General Elections Commission (KPU) member, Wahyu Setiawan, to name Masiku, currently missing, as an interim replacement for deceased lawmaker Nazaruddin Kiemas in the 2019 elections.

"Hasto Kristiyanto, Harun Masiku, Saeful Bahri, and Donny Tri Istiqomah bribed Wahyu Setiawan and Agustiani Tio Fridelina with 19,000 Singapore dollars and 38,350 US dollars between December 16 and 23, 2019," Budiyanto said.

Fridelina is a former member of the General Election Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu).

Budiyanto stressed that Hasto allegedly committed actions that hindered the investigation into the bribery case.

"Suspect Hasto Kristiyanto and his confidants deliberately prevented, obstructed, or thwarted the investigation into the corruption crime in a direct and indirect manner," he said.

He then listed the actions that can be considered obstruction of justice:

  • On January 8, 2020, during a sting operation conducted by the KPK, Hasto ordered Nur Hasan, an employee at his office, to instruct Masiku via a phone call to submerge his cell phone and flee.
  • On June 6, 2024, prior to his questioning by the KPK as a witness, Hasto urged his staff member Kusnadi to submerge his cell phone to elude KPK investigators.
  • The suspect asked several witnesses linked to Masiku's case to deliver false statements to the authorities.
Masiku has been on the wanted list since January 17, 2020, due to his persistent avoidance of the KPK's summons.

Meanwhile, bribery recipient Setiawan has been released on parole after serving a seven-year prison sentence. He was incarcerated in a prison in Semarang, Central Java.

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Translator: Fianda S, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Anton Santoso
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