Judge Questions Rp425 Million Payment to Jokowi's Brother-in-Law in DJKA Case
The name of Wahyu Purwanto, the brother-in-law of Indonesia’s seventh president Joko Widodo (Jokowi), was mentioned during a hearing on alleged corruption in projects at the Class 1 Medan Railway Technical Office (BTP) under the Directorate General of Railways (DJKA), held at the Medan District Court in North Sumatra on Wednesday (8/4).
During the proceedings, the public prosecutor from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) presented Zulfikar Fahmi, director of PT Kharisma Putra Adipratama, as a witness. The company owned by Zulfikar Fahmi had secured railway work packages in various regions, from Cianjur to Medan.
Zulfikar Fahmi had previously been sentenced to four years in prison in a bribery case involving the procurement of goods and services for the railway line at the Class I Bandung Railway Technical Office.
In the hearing, the panel of judges, chaired by Khamozaro, questioned the witness Zulfikar Fahmi, director of PT Kharisma Putra Adipratama, about the reason for giving Rp425 million to Wahyu Purwanto.
“I read in the examination report (BAP) that when you were questioned by KPK investigators, you mentioned paying money to Wahyu Purwanto. Who is this? What is your relationship with Wahyu Purwanto?” asked Judge Khamozaro to the witness.
In response, witness Zulfikar also stated that Wahyu Purwanto is Jokowi’s brother-in-law.
“[Wahyu Purwanto] is the brother-in-law of the previous president, Your Honour,” said Zulfikar.
Judge Khamozaro then asked how much money witness Zulfikar had paid to Wahyu Purwanto.
“What is the connection between your payment to the person in question and obtaining the project in Medan? How much money did you pay?” asked Judge Khamozaro again.
Witness Zulfikar admitted to paying Rp425 million to Wahyu Purwanto so that he could recommend him as the executor of the DJKA project activities in Lampegan-Cianjur. However, the witness emphasised that Wahyu Purwanto had no connection to the alleged corruption case in the DJKA project in Medan.
“I just entrusted it, sir. Because I had previously not been designated as the winner of the tender for a railway project in Makassar. So he told me to follow the tender implementation procedures,” he explained.
According to witness Zulfikar, the money he paid to Wahyu Purwanto was as appreciation for having recommended him for the Lampegan-Cianjur project.
“Because I won the Rp30 billion tender, sir. So as appreciation, I bought Mr Wahyu’s Honda Hyundai Palisade, so I paid Rp550 million. But that was for the work in Cianjur, not in Medan. Because of Mr Wahyu’s recommendation, I got the job,” he revealed.
Judge Khamozaro then pressed the witness again regarding the payment to Wahyu Purwanto. However, the witness insisted that Wahyu Purwanto was not involved in the DJKA project in Medan.
“It’s up to you, it’s hard to accept with common sense if you have no interest,” he said.
In this hearing, there were three defendants in the dock: Muhlis Hanggani Capah, as the Commitment Making Official (PPK) of DJKA under the Ministry of Transportation; Eddy Kurniawan Winarto, as Commissioner of PT Tri Tirta Permata; and Muhammad Chusnul, as Junior Expert Railway Inspector of the Directorate of Railway Infrastructure.
After hearing the witness’s testimony, the panel of judges adjourned the hearing to next week with the agenda of hearing other witnesses.