KPK to Involve Army in Summoning Witnesses for Budi's Case

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Bambang Widjojanto, deputy chief of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), said that the KPK will ask for an approval from President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to involve the National Army in forcing witnesses to answer summons over Budi Gunawan's case. According to Bambang, most of the witnesses are active police officers.

“We will communicate with the President whether we can use [help from] other forces if police cannot guarantee that they can help the KPK," Bambang said on Thursday, January 29, 2015.

Bambang explained that the KPK has been in communications with the National Police deputy chief over the witnesses summons.

Bambang assured that Budi Gunawan's case being investigated by the KPK is not related with the problem occurred between the two institutions.

"This is about Budi's action misusing his authority for the sake of his own interest," he said.

Bambang also clarified that the anti-graft commission is focused on exposing Budi's criminal charge, instead of extending the allegation to other police officers.

To this date, no confirmation has been made yet whether the active police officers will answer KPK's summons. The only witness who came was a former lecturer at the Police Education Institute, Syahtria Sitepu, who remained silent when journalists asked him questions over the questioning.

MUHAMAD RIZKI