Novianti Setuningsih & Edwin Firdaus, Jakarta – The country's antigraft body will probe 14 regional heads who are suspected of bribing former Constitutional Court chief justice Akil Mochtar to fix regional election disputes.
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said in Akil's indictment that he received or was promised more than Rp 60 billion ($5 million) in exchange for fixing regional election disputes in 10 districts, cities or provinces, plus offering consultations on regional election disputes to five districts in Papua.
The KPK has so far named several persons as suspects in the cases. They are Akil, Tubagus Chaeri Wardana – brother of Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah – who is accused of giving bribes, and Susi Tur Andayani, who is accused of receiving them.
Tubagus, known as Wawan, allegedly paid Susi Rp 1 billion in connection to a Lebak regional election dispute with Atut being suspected of providing the funds. The KPK has only named two regional heads as bribery suspects, Atut and Central Kalimantan's Gunung Mas district head Hambit Bintih.
KPK deputy chairman Zulkarnain said the KPK was instead focused on collecting evidence against Akil to support the prosecutors' indictment. Zulkarnain said the KPK still needed to study the motives behind the gratification and whether or not it could be categorized as a crime.
"With regards to the gratification, we need to delve into whether they were given voluntarily or if blackmail was involved. Whose initiative it was to provide [the bribes], will be clear in the trial," Zulkarnain said on Tuesday.
He said it was important to clarify the motivation for the payments, whether it was initiated by Akil or whether it was made out of fear. "In the indictment, for instance, the vote count [of a certain regional head] was already high but he got scared after it was challenged at the Constitutional Court," Zulkarnain said.
He said 14 other regional heads would be probed after Akil's case is finalized. KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto also confirmed that the antigraft body would follow up bribery allegations regarding 14 other regional heads after Akil was indicted.
"Most of them have been summoned for questioning [over Akil's case.] It's important to follow the trial process," Bambang said in a text message.
Another KPK deputy chairman, Busyro Muqoddas, made an assurance that his office would probe regional heads who paid bribes or promised Akil money.
KPK prosecutors have named some of regional heads in their indictment, including Empat Lawang district head Budi Anthoni Al Jufri, Palembang Mayor Romi Herton, Central Tapanuli district head Bonaran Situmeang, East Java Governor Soekarwo and Banten Governor Atut. "So, it will be done gradually," Busyro said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, KPK spokesman Johan Budi said the KPK investigators were still developing Akil's bribery case and that the case will not stop at Akil and Hambit, who has also been named as a suspect for bribery.
Johan added that the KPK was waiting for facts to emerge in court to implicate other regional heads in bribing Akil. "We are waiting to see what kind of facts will emerge from the court and whether there will be new facts to support the claims and on – whether or not we could use the judges' ruling to develop the case or to launch a new investigation," he said.
Akil has been charged with several counts of bribery and money laundering.