Legal Counsel: Jokowi Has No Interest in Whether Roy Suryo Is Detained or Not

The legal counsel for Indonesia’s 7th President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), Rivai Kusumanegara, has asserted that his client has no interest in whether Roy Suryo and Doctor Tifa are detained in the case concerning allegations of a fake diploma. “Pak Jokowi and we, his legal advisers, have consistently said from last year until yesterday, including well before the detention that occurred last year which was later postponed following medical procedures, that Pak Jokowi has no interest in whether they are detained or not,” Rivai said during a Head to Head interview on CNN Indonesia TV on Wednesday evening. He stated that Jokowi fully understands that the detention of Roy and Tifa is entirely the authority of the relevant law enforcement officials. “Investigators detain for the purposes of investigation. Public prosecutors detain for the purposes of prosecution. There is no detention for the interests of other parties, let alone variables outside of that,” he said. Rivai explained that Jokowi merely wants the case to be brought to court to obtain certainty regarding the diploma polemic. He mentioned that Jokowi wants his good name restored if the court proves his diploma is genuine. “If it is indeed genuine and validated by the court, it means he wants his good name restored, because this issue has become a talking point, even consumed by many countries,” he said. Previously, the Metro Jaya Regional Police transferred Roy and Tifa along with evidence in the case regarding the allegations about Jokowi’s diploma to the South Jakarta District Attorney’s Office on Monday. Following the phase two transfer, the South Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office decided not to detain Roy and Tifa. However, both are required to report once a week. South Jakarta Chief Prosecutor Marcelo Bellah revealed that the trial for Roy and Tifa in this case will be held at the East Jakarta District Court. He did not disclose the reason why the trial is being held at the East Jakarta District Court. Marcelo only stated that the trial process will be held as soon as possible, as the case qualifies as a priority matter. Most recently, the South Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office transferred Roy and Tifa’s case files to the East Jakarta District Court on Tuesday afternoon.