More dirt thrown at Akil

JAKARTA. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) found that former Constitutional Court (MK) chief justice Akil Mochtar could be implicated in yet more bribery cases.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said on Wednesday that Akil had been charged with Article 12B of Law No. 31/1999 on corruption, which stipulates that it is a crime for a state official take gifts in return for services dispensed illegally. The offense carries a maximum punishment of 20 years in prison.

“The KPK’s investigation found indications of additional money paid in relation to other cases filed to the court,” he told a press conference at the KPK’s headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta.

Johan, however, did not elaborate on what particular local election case Akil may have tampered with.

Akil was arrested and named suspect by the KPK earlier this month after allegedly accepting a bribe from Golkar lawmaker Chairun Nisa, from the House of Representatives’ Commission II overseeing regional autonomy, and a businessman named Cornelius.

It is alleged that the money was paid in return for Akil’s delivery of a ruling in favor of incumbent Regent Hambit Bintih in the Gunung Mas elections dispute lawsuit. Last week, the court ruled in favor of Hambit.

The very next day, the KPK named Akil a suspect in another case centering on the Lebak elections legal dispute.

He was accused of receiving Rp 1 billion (US$88,000) in bribes from businessman Tubagus Chaeri Wardana, the sibling of Banten Governor Ratu Atut Chosiyah, through Susi Tur Andayani, a lawyer.

Following Akil’s arrest, plaintiffs in the local election dispute began questioning the legality of the court’s rulings.

Many accused Akil of manipulating the outcome of other lawsuits, including a dispute in the Bali gubernatorial election, where incumbent Governor I Mangku Pastika won by a narrow margin.

Also on Wednesday, KPK investigators questioned Akil’s fellow justices Maria Farida Indrati and Anwar Usman, who presided over the Gunung Mas lawsuit. They were questioned as witnesses.

Speaking after a seven-hour questioning session, Anwar said that Akil did not interfere in the outcome of the court’s ruling on the Gunung Mas and Lebak election dispute lawsuits.

Anwar also maintained that the court had not tampered with any other election-dispute case.

“There was no intervention in any of the cases presided over by Pak Akil, or anyone else,” Anwar said, adding that all the rulings were decided collegiality.

Besides the fresh charges against Akil, the KPK also planned to slap him with money laundering charges. However, Johan, said that the money laundering charges were not yet imminent even though the antigraft body had conducted a case expose last Friday.

In relation to the money laundering charges, KPK investigators confiscated three luxury cars — a Mercedes Benz S350, an Audi Quattro 5 and a Toyota Crown Athlete — from Akil’s private residence in Pancoran earlier this month.

In addition, the KPK also seized bonds worth Rp 2 billion.

Johan said one of the cars, the Mercedes Benz, had been registered in the name of Daryono, Akil’s driver, believed to be a key witness in the bribery case.

Daryono is now reportedly missing following Akil’s arrest.

Otto Hasibuan, Akil’s lawyer, said that his client had transferred the car ownership to avoid paying more taxes.

“He said that it was normal [to register assets under someone else’s name],” he said.

Otto also denied rumors that Akil had a meeting with Ratu Atut and Tubagus in Singapore late last month, saying that it was a mere coincidence that Akil was in the city state at the same time as the two siblings.

Conversely, Tubagus’s lawyer Pia Akbar Nasution confirmed his client did have a meeting with his sister and Akil in the island state.

Pia further said that during the meeting in Singapore the subject of local elections came up, but only in small-talk.

“There was nothing specific. Pak Wawan [Tubagus’ nickname] just accompanied Bu Atut to meet [Akil],” Pia said on Wednesday.

She also added that Tubagus had been in Singapore for the Singapore Grand Prix. (Hans Nicholas Jong/ The Jakarta Post)