Answering Kusnadi's Request For Substitution Of Investigators, KPK: The Basis Must Be Strong

KPK Spokesperson Tessa Mahardika At The Jakarta Corruption Eradication Commission Building (Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) emphasized that the replacement of investigators in a case cannot be done arbitrarily. There must be a strong reason before this process is carried out.

This was conveyed by KPK spokesman Tessa Mahardika when asked about the replacement of investigators requested by the staff camp of the PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kritsiyanto, Kusnadi.

"For the authority to change investigators, of course there must be a solid basis," Tessa told reporters as quoted on Thursday, June 20.

"One of the reasons that can make investigators be replaced in a case is if someone is declared to have violated ethics," said Tessa.

"But as long as there is no basis yet, investigators are still authorized to carry out the investigation process, be it confiscation or witness examination," he said.

As previously reported, Petrus Selestinus, who is Kusnadi's lawyer, asked the KPK to replace investigators in the Harun Masiku case. He said they were not professional when asking for information from their clients.

Meanwhile, Kusnadi was also questioned by the anti-corruption commission when Hasto was questioned on Monday, June 10. Then, investigators confiscated Hasto's cellphone and a notebook from his hand.

"There was a request to replace investigators, because the incident on June 10 was because the one who handled this case was a team," said Petrus while accompanying Kusnadi's investigation at the KPK's Red and White Building, Wednesday, June 19.

"When we talk about the team, it means that apart from Rossa and Riatno, there are other investigators. So, that was the change of investigators, we also asked for clarification on several things that we thought were odd. Regarding the administration of confiscation, search, and receipt of evidence, there were several things there that we think there was an error including the date, and the place where the handover of the confiscated goods was carried out in the handover document. the confiscated goods took place in Citereup, Bogor on April 23, 2024," added Petrus.

In addition, Petrus also mentioned that there was a different code. "This includes the place where the handover of the different confiscated goods has implications for judicial problems, yes. Which court has the authority to examine the case later and can also be regarding the wrong person, it could be evidence that the report of a criminal act of corruption is someone else's case, but it is busy and various reasons are wrongly included in the minutes of confiscation and summons," he explained.

Thus, the KPK is reminded to ensure that each investigator is in accordance with the rules in conducting the examination. "Don't let Kusnadi be examined as a witness but with case numbers or police report signs for other people's cases. So, this is not a trivial matter, but a very principle and problem, if in this trial it can be debated and cases can be declared unacceptable," concluded Petrus.