Defense Of The Former MA Secretary Nurhadi On The Case Of The Beating Of The KPK Prison Officers Who Caught Him

JAKARTA - Former Secretary of the Supreme Court (MA) Nurhadi defended himself in the alleged case of beating officers of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) detention center. He admitted that he was provoked and planned to report back the three prison officers who reported him to the police.

The alleged beating took place on Thursday, January 28 at around 4:30 p.m. WIB at the KPK Detention Center for Lot C1 Branch. This act of violence was preceded by a misunderstanding related to the delivery of an explanation of the socialization by KPK officials regarding the plan to renovate one of the prisoners' bathrooms.

Nurhadi said the news of the beating due to the problem of renovating the bathroom was hoax because so far there had never been any socialization regarding this matter to the detainees at the detention center.

The suspect in the bribery and gratuity case also said that what the KPK would do was not renovation but a permanent closure and sealing due to the discovery of a power bank by prison officials.

"There has never been any dissemination of bathroom renovations to prisoners at the C-1 Detention Center. So, the news about the socialization of bathroom renovations so far is a hoax," said Nurhadi in a written statement delivered by the attorney, Wednesday, 3 February.

He also said that so far he had never complained or asked for the bathroom at the KPK Detention Center Kavling C1 branch to be renovated. Because, the condition of the bathroom there has never been a problem.

Nurhadi added that the KPK had never been asked for any information through the Head of the Salemba Detention Center, KPK Branch or the police.

"However, there has been massive coverage in the media stating that I mistreated or beat KPK detention officers," he said.

Besides that, Nurhadi said, he was actually provoked by the officer.

"I was provoked by Muniri (the reporter) by saying, 'hit me, beat me.' As for the swing of my left hand, it didn't hit my face, let alone my lips," he said.

He felt that his testimony was strong because at the same time there were 8 witnesses who saw, heard and knew about the incident. 6 people were prisoners, namely Sukiman, Emirsyah Satar, Ismunandar, Aswandini Eka Tirta, Syahroni, and Amiril Mukminin. While the other 3 are prison officers, namely Turitno and Nasir.

As a result of this incident, Nurhadi took legal steps, namely by reporting the 3 prison officers to the police. This is because their statements do not match the facts.

Nurhadi's legal team assessed that the 3 KPK detention officers who were involved in the beating case received guidance from the KPK Legal Bureau when reporting to the Setiabudi Police. Because, when the police were questioned, the three of them were accompanied by the KPK legal bureau.

On Wednesday, January 27, after undergoing an online trial, Nurhadi headed to the prison where he was being held in the ACLC Kavling C1 Building.

When he arrived, he received information that an AC technician had found a power bank in the bathroom exhaust-fan tube next to the room used as the prison's dining room.

Subsequently, officers searched and found Rp2 million in cash in the cell occupied by detainees named Aswandini Eka Tirta and Ismunandar. Both of these items were confiscated by prison officials.

Furthermore, on Thursday, January 28, rumors arose if the bathroom would be closed and sealed, causing protests from the 7 prisoners.

Nurhadi took the initiative to ask the technician for the remand center officer with the initials M, the alleged victim of the beating, to convey directly to the detainees the reason for the sealing.

Finally, the prison officer met the corruption suspects at the KPK detention center. At that time, M was accompanied by 2 other officers and met with Nurhadi and Sukiman, Emirsyah Satar, Ismunandar, Aswandini Eka Tirta, Syahroni, and Amiril Mukminin.

During the meeting, Nurhadi questioned the reason for the sealing. Prison officers answered that this was done because the power bank was found.

Finding this answer, he immediately denied that there were no prisoners who had a power bank and it was very possible that this object belonged to the previous inmates who had changed.

"After the delivery, brother M touched on his contribution to the C1 detention center, namely that he stated that he had fought for the replacement of the AC at the C1 detention center which he said was accompanied by various slanders to him," said Nurhadi.

Hearing this, Nurhadi said, this replacement is already an obligation, duty, and function of M.

After the debate, at around 15.30 WIB, M provoked and challenged Nurhadi to beat him.

"'Hit me, beat me!', So that I reflexively waved his left hand, which in fact I was right-handed in a standing position to brother M, whose position was blocked by two prison officers, namely brother T and brother N," he explained.

"The swing of the hand did not hit the face, let alone the lips of brother M," he added.

Nurhadi believes this is true, because at that time there were six prisoners and two prison officers. Furthermore, these three officers walked out of the room.

After receiving the report of the beatings, the police planned to summon Nurhadi to investigate the alleged violence case. Nurhadi will be questioned Thursday, February 4.

"Yes, tomorrow (investigated, ed) at the KPK," said Head of Criminal Investigation Unit for South Jakarta Police AKBP Jimmy Christian Samma in a written statement, Wednesday, February 3.

Jimmy did not confirm the timing of the examination. However, he said the investigation would be carried out at the KPK building.

Acting KPK spokesman for the field of prosecution Ali Fikri said that this examination had obtained permission from the panel of judges as the detainee in Nurhadi's bribery and gratification case which was in the process of the trial.

"The information we received is correct, tomorrow Thursday, February 4, the South Jakarta Police will conduct an examination of detainees on behalf of the NHD," he said in a written statement.

"Therefore, the KPK will facilitate the examination of the detainees," he concluded.