Jakarta – Supreme Court justice Gayus Lumbuun on Wednesday defended a Court secretary's eyebrow-raising decision to hand out 2,500 iPod Shuffles as party favors at his daughter's Hotel Mulia wedding reception.

"The price on the invoice [for each unit] was Rp 480,000 [$42]," Gayus told Indonesian news portal kompas.com on Wednesday. "They were purchased in July 2013."

He cited the figure because the Indonesian Judges and Justices Association (Ikahi), of which he is a chapter head, classifies banned gratuities as those that cost more than Rp 500,000 ($44).

The two-gigabyte devices cost around Rp 700,000 off the shelf in Indonesia, but he said they were ordered at a wholesale discount, directly from the United States.

If so, Nurhadi, the secretary, may potentially have violated a regulation requiring Indonesian-language manuals, warranty cards and official certificates from the directorate general of telecommunications for electronic devices imported here.

Indonesian weddings typically feature small gifts for the guests. Even at reduced price, the iPods would have cost some Rp 1.2 billion in total.

Nurhadi is on the highest paid grade at the Supreme Court. As of Jan. 1, 2014, the grade was capped at Rp 70 million per month, according to Indonesian news portal Jawa Pos.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said Nurhadi has not yet completed his required wealth report, according to Indonesian news portal Skalanews.com.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has urged the KPK to look into all expenditures surrounding Nurhadi's daughter Rizki Aulia Rahma's marriage to Rizky Wibowo.

"Where did the money come from? As a civil servant his salary is publicly known," Indonesia Corruption Watch's Ade Irawan said on Tuesday. "It would be impossible to pay for such an expensive wedding on his salary."

Gayus said that the expenses, including the iPods, were paid for by the groom's family, citing Javanese tradition. He said that Rizky's late father was a civil servant in the Ministry of Public Works and his mother was as a businesswoman.

"I haven't learned so far what sector of business she does," Gayus said, according to Indonesian news portal Liputan6.com.

KPK chief Abraham Samad on Wednesday said the antigraft body was looking into Nurhadi's wealth. "We are investigating," Samad said.

Gayus has made headlines in recent months for his high-profile defamation suit against celebrity illusionist Deddy Corbuzier over claims that the justice had received bribe money from dangdut singer Julia "Jupe" Perez.

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/news/justice-gayus-defends-supreme-court-officials-lavish-wedding/