Suspect in Bakamla Bribe Case Applies for Justice Collaborator

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Eko Susilo Hadi, deputy for legal information and agency cooperation of the Maritime Security Board (Bakamla), who has been named a suspect in a bribery case in the agency, plans to file a request to become a justice collaborator to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

The justice collaborator status may be given by the KPK to a suspect who admits wrongdoing and is willing to cooperate with investigators to crack down on the criminal act and other perpetrators. The suspect will be given a more lenient punishment on account of the status.

Despite wanting to become a justice collaborator, Eko may not name other actors in the bribery case in the procurement of satellite monitoring device at Bakamla, defense lawyer Soesilo Ariwibowo said. Soesilo said that the most important thing is for Eko to be open and cooperate with the authorities for an easier investigation. "[Eko] will tell it like it is," Soesilo said.

KPK arrested Eko Susilo Hadi at his office at Bakamla building in mid-December 2016 for allegedly receiving Rp2 billion in bribes in US and Singapore dollars from private company PT Melati Technofo Indonesia’s (MTI) employees Hardy Stefanus and Muhammad Adami Okta. Hardy and Adami were nabbed almost at the same time at Bakamla parking lot. The KPK had also named MTI director Fahmi Darmawansyah as a suspect in the bribery case.

On Monday, March 13, 2017, the Jakarta Corruption Court held the first session of the bribery trial to hear indictment against Fahmi Darmawansyah. The indictment says that bribes were also taken by other Bakamla officials, among others, Bakamla chairman, director for data and information, head of planning and organization bureau and head of administration sub-division.

MAYA AYU PUSPITASARI