KPK team claimed that the anti-graft body had sufficient evidence to name a person as a suspect.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) rejected all reasons presented by lawyers seeking revocation of suspect status for national police chief candidate Commissioner General Budi Gunawan during a pre-trial session here on Monday.

"We reject all the reasons used in the petition filed by the applicant," Katarina M. Girsang, one of the members of the legal division team of the KPK, remarked in response to the petition filed by Budi Gunawan during the session.

The KPK has named Budi Gunawan as a suspect over his alleged involvement in a case that has led to the president postponing his inauguration as the national police chief despite his candidacy being approved by the parliament.

Tensions escalated as the police later named KPK Deputy Bambang Widjojanto a suspect for having asked witnesses to give five false testimonies in a court session over a regional election dispute in 2010 when he was still a lawyer.

The KPK team noted that the decision to name Budi Gunawan a suspect was not against the regulation, although it was not made by five KPK leaders, but instead it was a decision taken collectively.

"The Constitution Court does not state that a collective decision means that it must be taken by five leaders. It is not about the number, but it must be made in a collective-collegial manner," another KPK team member Rasamala Aritonang stated.

So, the decision is valid despite the fact that it was made only by four KPK leaders, he explained.

The KPK team claimed that the anti-graft body had sufficient evidence to name a person as a suspect.

"Someone may be named suspect based on minimally two pieces of evidence," Rasamala said.

She remarked that the KPK would not reveal the evidence at the pre-trial but would only do it in a corruption court session.

The KPK also rejected claims of having intervened in the presidents nomination of a national police chief candidate.

"It is wrong to say that Budi Gunawans status as a suspect is a form of intervention in the matter overseen by the president. Budi Gunawan was named a suspect based on the mandate given by the law to the KPK," Katarina remarked.

She said the KPK opined that the reasons tendered by the applicant for a pre-trial must be rejected as they were merely based on assumptions and opinions instead of a valid law.

The KPK also stated that it was not mandatory for the anti-graft agency to conduct questioning or disclose charges first before naming a suspect.

The first pre-trial session was adjourned until Tuesday after the petition from the applicant and response from the KPK were heard.

The session on Tuesday is scheduled for hearing witnesses and for viewing evidences presented by the applicant.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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