KPK set to name new suspect in central bank briber

JAKARTA. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has begun questioning for a third time businesswoman Nunun Nurbaeti, a suspect and a key witness in the high-profile central bank vote-buying case which has seen at least 31 politicians go to jail.

Through today’s questioning session, KPK is expected to name a new suspect as, just recently, KPK chairman Abraham Samad claimed to have targeted a possible new suspect in the case which has been ongoing since former Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) lawmaker Agus Condro Prayitno first disclosed details of the scandal to KPK investigators in 2008.

As many as 480 traveler’s checks, worth Rp 24 billion, were allegedly distributed by Nunun, who acted as a go-between in the case between the former lawmakers who sat on the House of Representatives’ finance commission at the time of the bribery and the bribe payer whose identity remains unknown.

Nunun arrived at the KPK headquarters at around 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday. She is undergoing KPK questioning as a suspect in the bribery centering on a 2004 Bank Indonesia senior deputy governor selection process which was eventually won by Miranda Goeltom.

Previously, Nunun had dodged KPK questioning and subpoenas from the Jakarta Corruption Court as she fled to Singapore in early 2010 for what she claimed was medical treatment for her “memory loss”. She was arrested in Bangkok late last year.

“I am still sick,” she said when arriving at the KPK building on Tuesday. “Yes, the KPK investigators still require my statements.”

The KPK is also set to have a final case presentation on Wednesday to determine whether or not the investigators are ready to bring Nunun to court.

Johan Budi, KPK spokesperson, confirmed the plan. However, he said he could not promise there would be anything about the new suspect. (Ina Parlina/ The Jakarta Post)