Suspended Riau Governor Abdul Wahid's Hope to Follow Yaqut's Footsteps and Become House Detainee Fails

Prosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) have rejected the request from the legal team of suspended Riau Governor Abdul Wahid to transfer his detention from Pekanbaru’s Sialang Bungkuk State Detention Centre to house arrest. KPK prosecutor Meyer Volmar Simanjuntak stated during the first hearing at the Pekanbaru Corruption Court on Thursday that the matter has now been handed over to the chief judge, but if asked for an opinion, they object. “The transfer of detention, with various considerations, if based on medical reasons, during the more than four months of investigation, we never found any worrying medical history from Mr Abdul Wahid. That means the defendants, praise be to God, are in good health as they are now,” he said. Therefore, Meyer added, if there are medical issues that require treatment during the process, it will be provided through the detention centre. This in no way diminishes the handling of the defendant Abdul Wahid. Regarding comparisons with other cases, he said it is not a precedent because decisions that are final and binding apply to all activities. On a case-by-case basis, they will not respond as it falls under a different domain from investigators and prosecutors. Previously, Abdul Wahid’s lawyer, Kemal Shahab, conveyed that his client wishes to submit a request letter to transfer detention from Pekanbaru’s Class I Detention Centre to house arrest. This is based on the provisions in Article 18 paragraph 5 and Article 108 paragraph 11 of the Criminal Procedure Code. “Also considering the precedent of one corruption suspect at the KPK named Yaqut Cholil Qoumas who was recently granted permission for house detention on noble health grounds,” he said. He added that Abdul Wahid’s medical records are attached to the request letter, along with a guarantee statement from the family and other requirements stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Code. Meanwhile, Chief Judge Delta Tamtama stated that he cannot answer that at this time. “Regarding that, we cannot answer now,” he said.