TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The House of Representatives (DPR) leadership has asked the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to suspend investigation into the electronic identity cards (e-KTP) graft case, that sees House Speaker Setya Novanto named as a suspect, until the court issue a decision on his pretrial motion.
DPR spokeswoman Hani Tahapsari said yesterday that the House pointed to the example of the KPK’s decision to suspend a graft case implicating suspect, former police officer Sr. Comr. Budi Gunawan—now the National Intelligence Agency—in early 2015. “At that time, all parties, including the KPK, were patient enough to await the pretrial decision,” she said.
Read: KPK Ready to Face Setya Novanto Pretrial Motion
Novanto filed a pretrial motion last week against the KPK’s decision to name him as a suspect in the e-KTP case. The first hearing yesterday, however, was suspended because the KPK representatives failed to appear in court.
Despite the motion, the KPK continues the investigation to complement the evidence of Novanto’s involvement in the corruption case that caused Rp2.3 trillion in state losses. The anti-graft agency had planned to question the House speaker for the first time on Monday but the latter skipped it for health reasons.
Former Constitutional Court justice Mahfud Md. said that the DPR should not overstep its authority. “What does the DPR has to do with the KPK and Setya Novanto’s case?” he said. He expects the KPK to ignore the DPR’s request.
The KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah said that his office has conducted law enforcement measures based on the laws, adding that the suspect is entitled to file a pretrial motion. “But the laws do not require the KPK to suspend investigation during the pretrial motion,” Febri said. He confirmed that the KPK will summon Setya Novanto again in the near future.
AGOENG WIJAYA
