Sudewa requests KPK to present Pati DPRD Speaker in court
Non-active Pati Regent Sudewa has requested that the public prosecutor from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) present the Speaker of the Pati Regency Regional House of Representatives (DPRD), Ali Badrudin, to be examined as a witness in the alleged extortion case concerning the selection of village official candidates in the region.
“We request that the DPRD Speaker be presented in the trial,” said Sudewa’s legal counsel, Yupen Hadi, during a follow-up hearing at the Semarang Corruption Court in Central Java on Monday.
According to him, Ali Badrudin’s testimony is considered important because the individual has also been examined and an official examination report (BAP) has been prepared by investigators.
In response to the request, KPK public prosecutor Joko Hermawan stated that Ali Badrudin was not presented by the prosecution because the evidence in the alleged corruption case involving non-active Pati Regent Sudewa was deemed sufficient.
Nevertheless, the prosecutor said the defence was welcome to present the Pati DPRD Speaker as a witness favourable to the defendant.
Meanwhile, Presiding Judge Edwin Pudyono said the defence counsel could submit a request to the panel of judges to present Ali Badrudin.
“Please submit the request through the panel, and subsequently the public prosecutor will issue the summons. It is up to the witness whether to comply with the summons or not,” he said.
Speaking after the hearing, Yupen explained the reason for requesting that Pati DPRD Speaker Ali Badrudin be presented as a witness in Sudewa’s case.
According to him, Ali had approved the payment of money by village official candidates, which was handed over by one of the village heads.
“We want to know what the DPRD Speaker’s considerations were in allowing the process to occur,” he said.
In this case, non-active Pati Regent Sudewa is charged with receiving Rp2.4 billion in connection with the filling of village official positions in the regency, which took place between 2025 and 2026.
Defendant Sudewa is alleged to have abused his authority in relation to the appointment of village officials. In the filling of these village official positions, candidates were required to pay a sum of money.