KPK detains KPU member Rusadi
KPK detains KPU member Rusadi
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detained on Monday
General Elections Commission (KPU) member Rusadi Kantaprawira
after naming him a suspect in a graft case at the election body.
KPK deputy chairman Tumpak Hatorangan Panggabean said Rusadi,
a professor of constitutional law at Padjadjaran University, was
accused of causing up to Rp 36 billion (US$3.7 million) in state
losses in the procurement of ink for last year's legislative
elections.
"The KPU procured the ink through a tender that violated
Presidential Decree No. 80/2003," Tumpak said.
The decree on the provision of goods for state institutions
requires transparent tenders that are free from collusion and
nepotism.
Rusadi now joins in detention four other KPU officials and
members who have also been named graft suspects -- chairman
Nazaruddin Sjamsuddin, member Mulyana W. Kusumah, secretary-
general Sussongko Suhardjo and treasurer Hamdani Amin.
The change in Rusadi's status was announced by his lawyer M.
Utomo Karim earlier on Monday, while accompanying his client for
a round of questioning by KPK investigators.
"KPK investigators showed me the document stating Rusadi's
status as a suspect when they picked him up for the questioning.
But I do not know the charges yet," Utomo said.
Asked about his status as a suspect, Rusadi simply said "it is
the consequence of my job".
The naming of Rusadi as a suspect could be connected to a
decision handed down by the Commission for the Supervision of
Business Competition (KPPU), which found the state lost Rp 2.15
billion from the ink procurement tender at the KPU as a result of
collusion.
This collusion, according to the KPPU, involved nine firms and
two KPU officials in charge of the ink procurement -- Rusadi and
KPU logistics bureau head R.M. Purba.
The KPPU also found that four winning consortiums in the
tender paid a total of Rp 400 million to the KPU, allegedly as
kickbacks, and paid for trips to India for several KPU officials.
Also at the KPK office, investigators submitted to prosecutors
on Monday the case file on Nazaruddin, one day before his
detention period was set to expire, Antara reported.
Nazaruddin is accused of involvement in the collection of
kickbacks from procurement firms and alleged corruption in the
provision of insurance for KPU officials.
He has denied all accusations.
Meanwhile, witnesses testified as the trial of Mulyana, who is
charged with bribery, continued on Monday.
KPU employee Mubari said he, Mulyana, Sussongko and Purba were
directly involved in providing Rp 300 million to bribe state
auditor Khairiansyah Salman to influence the results of an audit
of the election body.
Purba, who testified after Mubari, denied contributing any
money but said he was aware of the bribery plan.
In his testimony, KPU treasurer Hamdani admitted to having
submitted four travel checks worth Rp 100 million to Mulyana at
the order of Sussongko. Hamdani, however, said he did not know
the purpose of the transfer, which took place on April 4 this
year.
"Pak Sussongko called me and said 'Please give the money to
Pak Mulyana now,'" Hamdani said.
There was no letter from KPU officials on the provision of the
funds, Hamdani said, but added that he recorded the disbursement
of the money.
The money came from "contributions" collected from companies
that won tenders to provide election materials, according to
Hamdani. He said he kept the contributions at the request from
the KPU leadership.
"There was no signed receipt from Pak Mulyana after receiving
the money, because we normally accepted contributions from the
companies without signing receipts. We did report the use of the
funds to the KPU leadership," Hamdani told the court.