Breathing Free Air, Three NTB Legislators Remain Defendants
Mataram (ANTARA) - Three legislators, namely Indra Jaya Usman, Hamdan Kasim, and Muhammad Nashib Ikroman, remain defendants in the NTB DPRD graft case despite being released from detention.
“They remain defendants until there is a determination by the panel of judges,” said the Spokesperson for the West Nusa Tenggara High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati NTB), Harun Al Rasyid, in Mataram on Thursday.
He stated that his side respects the panel of judges’ determination granting the suspension of detention for the three defendants, as the detention period until the first-instance court has expired before the verdict agenda.
According to him, the determination by the panel of judges chaired by Dewi Santini is in line with the provisions of the new Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which limits the detention period for defendants.
Therefore, Harun conveyed that the prosecution, as the public prosecutor in this case, cannot force re-detention.
He acknowledged that this situation poses a challenge for the prosecutors to continue the trial agenda while ensuring the presence of the defendants before the panel of judges.
“So, here (in the trial), we still have the burden of proof. This case is still ongoing, and the judge has also emphasised that the trial will continue. Clearly, our evidence is serious; we have brought this case to court,” he said.
In the last trial agenda on Wednesday (13/5), the panel of judges had concluded the examination of witnesses before granting the suspension of detention.
Starting from the Wednesday agenda next week (20/5), the public prosecutor will present several experts to strengthen the alleged gratification as per the indictment.
“Indeed, this is already at the end of the trial, but we are still gathering facts on the involvement of others; we will wait until the end (of the trial),” he said.
Regarding the issue of the NTB High Prosecutor’s Office receiving “facilitation money” worth hundreds of millions from the bribed legislators, Harun firmly stated that it is untrue.
“Indeed, money was given, but that is deposit money that we have entered into the Other Government Account (RPL). So, it’s not personal money; there is no such thing (as facilitation money),” Harun said.
In the last trial on Wednesday (13/5), the panel of judges asked the three defendants to remain cooperative despite being free from detention.
“If you abscond or flee, we will still conduct the trial ‘in absentia’. We can still proceed with the trial ‘in absentia’ without your presence if you do not attend,” he said.
The three defendants have been in detention since the investigation stage by the prosecutors. The first to be detained were two individuals, Indra Jaya Usman and Muhammad Nashib Ikroman, since 20 November 2026.
Meanwhile, defendant Hamdan Kasim began serving detention during the prosecutorial investigation since 24 November 2026.