Preliminary Hearing for Indra Iskandar: Expert Witness Presented to Challenge KPK Suspect Status
The government faces a policy dilemma with no truly comfortable options.
The preliminary hearing for the Secretary General of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Indra Iskandar, was held again at the South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday (8/4), with the agenda of hearing testimony from the applicant’s expert witness.
The hearing was presided over by sole judge Sulistyanto Rokhmad Budiarto. Indra Iskandar did not attend in person and was represented only by his legal team.
Nevertheless, the applicant presented one expert, Mahrus Ali, a lecturer and criminal law expert from Universitas Wahid Hasyim in Semarang.
The expert’s testimony was provided to strengthen the arguments in the preliminary hearing application submitted by the applicant. Meanwhile, the respondent, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), did not present an expert at today’s hearing.
The agenda for the KPK’s expert testimony is scheduled for the next hearing on Thursday (9/4). During the proceedings, the judge confirmed the KPK’s readiness regarding the number and schedule of their experts.
“How many witnesses will the respondent present tomorrow?” said Judge Sulistyo in the courtroom.
“Two experts, Your Honour,” replied the KPK representative.
The judge then inquired about the time for the next hearing.
“At what time is the respondent available?”
“At one o’clock,” said the KPK representative.
It is known that Indra Iskandar filed a preliminary hearing application under case number 31/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.SEL to challenge his suspect status as determined by the KPK.
In his application, Indra requests that his designation as a suspect be declared invalid and null and void by law.
In addition, in his petition, he also requests that the court order the cessation of the investigation, the revocation of the travel ban abroad, and the return of his passport.
Indra also challenges the legality of the search and seizure actions carried out by the KPK, and requests that all such actions be declared invalid.
Furthermore, he requests the restoration of his good name, honour, and dignity as before he was designated as a suspect.
This case relates to alleged corruption in the procurement of office equipment for DPR RI members in the 2020 fiscal year.
In this case, the KPK has designated seven individuals as suspects, including Indra Iskandar. However, to date, the suspects have not been detained because the process of calculating state losses is still ongoing.
The KPK itself states that the suspect determination process was carried out in accordance with applicable legal provisions and is supported by sufficient evidence.
So far, the KPK has not provided further details on who the other parties designated as suspects in the case are and their roles.
The preliminary hearing for DPR Secretary General Indra Iskandar is proceeding. The KPK asserts that the suspect designation is valid, the evidence is complete, and the investigation process has been flawless from the start of the case.
Indra is a suspect in this case. On the other hand, the former DPR Secretary General is filing a preliminary hearing.
The KPK is busy calculating the total state losses. Several witnesses examined in recent days have also been questioned by auditors.
To date, Indra has not been detained. The handling of his case is said to be stalled because the state loss calculation has not yet been completed.
So far, the KPK has not provided further details on who the other parties designated as suspects in the case are and their roles.