Eddy Hiariej Doesn't Know He's A Corruption Suspect

Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights (Wamenkumham) Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Public Relations Coordinator of the Secretariat General of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkumham) Tubagus Erif Faturahman said Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights (Wamenkumham) Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej alias Eddy Hiariej did not know about the determination of the suspect in the alleged bribery case by the KPK against him.

Tubagus said that Eddy Hiariej had never been examined in the investigation and had not yet received an investigation warrant (sprindik) or a Notice of Investigation Commencement (SPDP) by investigators from the anti-corruption commission.

"He does not know anything about the determination of the suspect who was reported by the media because he has never been investigated in the investigation and has not received any sprindik or SPDP," said Tubagus in a statement, Friday, November 10.

Regarding the legal status of the Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights, Tubagus said that his party adhered to the principle of presumption of innocence until there was clarity of the court's decision.

"We adhere to the principle of presumption of innocence until there is a court decision that is permanent," added Tubagus.

He also said that the Ministry of Law and Human Rights would first coordinate regarding legal assistance to be given to Eddy Hiariej.

"Regarding legal assistance from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights, we will coordinate it first," he said.

Previously, the KPK said that it had signed a letter determining Wamenkumham Eddy Hiariej as a suspect in the alleged bribery case about two weeks ago.

"The determination of the suspect Wamenkumham, that's right, we signed it about two weeks ago," said KPK Deputy Chair Alexander Marwata at the KPK's Red and White Building, South Jakarta, last Thursday.

Alex also said that his party had also named other suspects in the investigation of the alleged corruption case. "Four suspects, from the three recipients, gave one," said Alex.

Eddy Hiariej was reported by Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) to the KPK on suspicion of gratification of Rp7 billion. IPW chairman Sugeng Teguh Santoso (STS) last Tuesday reported Yogi Ari Rukmana as Eddy Hiariej's personal assistant and advocate Yosie Andika Mulyadi to the KPK.

Sugeng reported both of them on suspicion of receiving gratuities worth IDR 7 billion related to consultation and assistance for ratifying a company's legal entity.

However, Eddy Hiariej's attorney, Ricky Herbert Parulian Sitohang, denied the accusation about receiving the gratuity.

He revealed that the money Yosi received was purely the fee he received for his job as a lawyer.

Ricky also emphasized that the client and his client did not even know what Yosi was doing.

"There is no relevance between what Yosi did with Prof. Eddy, that's the first. Second, about the flow of funds, Prof. Eddy doesn't understand, doesn't understand, and doesn't know what Yosi is doing with his client. So, Prof. Eddy never received a penny of the flow of funds," he said.