Arghea Desafti Hapsari, Jakarta – A wiretapped conversation between Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deputy chief Insp. Gen. Ade Rahardja and suspected case broker Ary Muladi was never received by the Attorney General's Office's, an official says.
Junior Attorney General for Internal Monitoring Marwan Effendy said Thursday that his office never received the recording in the list of evidence presented by National Police investigators in a case of alleged extortion and abuse of power implicating two KPK deputy chairmen, Bibit Samad Rianto and Chandra M. Hamzah.
The bugged conversation, if it exists, could prove businessman Anggodo Widjojo's claim that he bribed Bibit and Chandra through Ary to halt the KPK's investigation into Anggodo's fugitive brother Anggoro, who is wanted in a graft case for misappropriating radio equipment for the Forestry Ministry.
Anggodo is currently facing trial on charges of attempted bribery and obstruction of justice.
On Thursday, Marwan said the AGO had declared that the police case against Bibit and Chandra were complete, even without the tape as evidence.
"We based [our decision] on expert testimony and evidence from letters. There was also a travel ban and investigation warrant," he added. "We requested the recording, whether it was a CCTV recording or a wiretapped conversation. But at the time the investigators told us the [recording] could not be played back," he said.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji claimed: "I never listened [to the tape]. [I heard about it] from the National Police chief's report."
Hendarman previously said in a hearing at the House of Representatives on Nov. 9, 2009, that he had "ample evidence" that the KPK leaders had received bribes from Anggodo as proved by a bugged conversation between Ary and Ade.
Both Ary and Ade deny having telephone conversations. The KPK, which bugged conversations between Anggodo and law enforcement officials alleging a conspiracy to frame the KPK leaders, also denied it had the recording.
The AGO's statement raises doubts over whether the tape really exists. But National Police chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri said he "would provide [the tape] if requested".
Legislators from the House's Commission III overseeing legal affairs said they would seek clarification from Hendarman and Marwan regarding their statements.
"Marwan's statement contradicts what Hendarman said in a previous hearing with Commission III. This shows poor coordination between a superior and his subordinate," legislator Daday Hudaya was quoted as saying by Antara news agency.
Legislator Yahdil Abdi Harahap of the National Mandate Party (PAN) said that if what Marwan said was true, "it means the attorney general has lied to the people. In that case, indications of fabricated evidence in Bibit and Chandra's case would be even clearer".
He said he did not know why Bambang and Hendarman held back from presenting the key evidence.
The AGO dropped their case against Bibit and Chandra last December, with the South Jakarta prosecutor's office issuing a letter to stop the prosecution, or SKPP, citing reasons of public pressure.
But a district court ruled the SKPP was flawed. A high court upheld the decision in June, requiring Bibit and Chandra to stand trial and be suspended in line with KPK regulations.
Anggodo's lawyers have requested the Corruption Court play the wiretapped conversation between Ade and Ary. The court said it planned to do so during a hearing Tuesday but failed to do so. Judges said the police would have to present the tape in court.