The Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) Ethics Council says graft suspect M. Nazaruddin has committed slander by accusing KPK deputy chairman Chandra M. Hamzah of accepting a US$500,000 bribe from a businessman.

"Nazaruddin is a slanderer. He never saw money being handed out but only made the claim based on hearsay," KPK Ethics Council chief Abdullah Hehahamua told tribunnews.com on Monday.

Abdullah said Nazaruddin did not have any evidence to support his allegations. "If he has evidence, I challenge him to show it," he said.

Nazaruddin told the council that he had met with Chandra on five occasions. Nazaruddin said through his attorney that in the fourth meeting, Chandra had accepted $500,000 for two government procurement projects.