Investigators Didn't Find Anything When Searching Ihsan Yunus's House, Investigators Are Considered Too Late

Gedung KPK (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - The search that was carried out by KPK investigators at the house of former Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Ihsan Yunus in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, on Wednesday, February 24, yielded no results. Investigators who want to find additional evidence for the corruption case of social assistance funds, come home empty-handed.

"So far, no documents or items have been found relating to this case," said Ali in his written statement after the search was carried out.

Although the search does not find any evidence, investigators will continue to collect evidence and complete the evidence filing this bribery case.

The investigators' efforts are considered too late. Because, in this activity, no evidence has been found in connection with the COVID-19 social assistance bribery case that previously ensnared former Social Minister Juliari Peter Batubara.

Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) Boyamin Saiman said the KPK was too late to search the house of Ihsan Yunus. This is why investigators have to return to the dwi-colored building empty-handed without bringing any evidence.

"Well, it's been a month since the incident happened, what do you want to get?" Boyamin asked.

According to him, with such a long time lag, it would be difficult to obtain evidence to ensnare Ihsan. The reason is, the evidence could have been cleaned first.

"It is rather difficult to obtain evidence, presumably it has been cleaned beforehand. It's too late," he said.

This late search, he said, was one of the reasons why some time ago he filed a pretrial regarding the COVID-19 social assistance bribery case.

This legal action, at the same time, is proof that investigators have indeed neglected 20 permits from the KPK Supervisory Board to investigate the case. Moreover, according to him, dozens of these permits have actually been issued since the hand-arrest operation (OTT) took place around December 2020.

"So it should have been carried out immediately (search, red). So that the evidence is still intact and not removed. If it is only now or later then it is estimated and suspected that the evidence has been lost," he said.

"Like a war, searches must have an element of surprise and suddenness. Even if necessary at night or early morning," he said.

As for the bribery case for the provision of COVID-19 social assistance in Jabodetabek, the name of the PDI-P politician has repeatedly been heard. In fact, when the reconstruction was carried out, it was revealed that there was a provision of Rp1.53 billion in cash and two units of Brompton bicycles from the bribe-giver businessman, namely Harry Sidabuke through his operator Agustri Yogasmara.

Later, Yogas returned the two bicycles that Harry had given to the KPK and investigators immediately carried out the reconstruction.

Not only that, some time ago the residence of Ihsan's parents was also searched and his younger brother, Muhammad Rakyan Ikram, was also examined by the KPK because it was suspected that he knew about the distribution of rations and distribution of social assistance for COVID-19.

Ihsan has also been summoned as a witness in this case. At the first summons, he was absent and only came to the KPK's Red and White House, Kuningan Persada on Thursday, February 25, or the day after his house was ransacked.

After being questioned for up to eight hours, he did not explain clearly what the investigators were asking about. However, Ihsan said he had explained everything he knew about the bribery case.

Previously reported, the KPK named a number of suspects in connection with the alleged corruption case of social assistance (bansos) food packages for the handling of COVID-19 in the Greater Jakarta area, including former Social Minister Juliari Batubara.

Apart from Juliari, the KPK also named four other suspects, namely the Commitment Making Officer at the Ministry of Social Affairs (PPK) MJS and AW as the recipient of the bribe and AIM and HS as the giver of the bribe.