Stuffy And Less Sunlight, Reasons For Ex-MA Secretary Nurhadi Requesting To Move From KPK Detention Center

KPK Building (Irfan Meidianto/VOI)

JAKARTA - The defendant in the case of bribery and gratuity, who was former Secretary of the Supreme Court (MA) Nurhadi, submitted a request to be transferred from the  Detention Center of Corruption Eradication Commission (Rutan KPK). However, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deems this proposal for the sake of health.

Through his written statement, Acting KPK spokesman Ali Fikri confirmed that Nurhadi proposed to move the detention center to the Jakarta High Court. There are two factors that became the reasons for this submission, namely health and old age.

Responding to this, Ali said, the anti-graft commission would certainly appreciate Nurhadi's proposal. However, the reasons given by Nurhadi were considered excessive.

The reason is, so far his party has always paid attention to the needs of detainees at the KPK detention center. Not only that, Ali said, in the detention center there is also a clinic that is always ready to check the condition of detainees.

"The defendant's reasons are exaggerated," said Ali, Sunday, March 21.

The KPK, he continued, hopes the Jakarta High Court will not grant Nurhadi's request. Because in addition to being excessive, the former state administrator was considered uncooperative during the investigation of his case because he had been a fugitive until he was at trial.

"We are of the view that there is absolutely no urgency to transfer the concerned prisoners," said Ali.

The truth about the request to move the remand center was also conveyed by Nurhadi's attorney, Maqdir Ismail. He said this submission was made for health reasons.

This advocate then explained, based on the confession of his client, the KPK detention center felt stuffy and there was no sun going inside. The reason, due to the closure of the air vents.

"Not (because it is full, red). Because the condition is rather stuffy, especially since the bathroom vent is closed. As a result, no sunlight can enter and no air ventilation," explained Maqdir when contacted by VOI via text message.

Meanwhile, regarding the KPK's accusation that this request was excessive, Maqdir actually stated that the comment made no sense. This is because the petition was based on health reasons.

"According to Mr. Nurhadi, the conditions in the detention center now for him are not very good for his health. Therefore, we submit a letter to the Chairman of the Jakarta High Court," he said.

"So comments stating that the request is excessive, which does not make sense," added Maqdir.

It is known, at this time, Nurhadi was placed in the KPK Detention Center Kavling C-1 Branch. Together with his son-in-law, Riezky Herbiyono, he was sentenced to 6 years in prison and a fine of IDR 500 million, a subsidiary of 3 months.

Nurhadi was proven to have received bribes amounting to IDR 35,726 billion and gratuities from a number of parties amounting to IDR 13,787 billion.

The verdict was lower than the demands of the KPK public prosecutor (JPU) who asked Nurhadi to be sentenced to 12 years in prison plus a fine of IDR 1 billion, a subsidiary of 6 months in prison, while his son-in-law, Rezky Herbiyono, was charged with 11 years in prison plus a fine of IDR 1 billion, a subsidiary of 6 months in prison.

Look again at Nurhadi's controversy

This is not the first time the former Secretary of the Supreme Court has made a tantrum. Nurhadi was once a KPK fugitive with his son-in-law, Riezky Herbiyono, who was also charged in the same two cases for nearly four months.

The two of them were arrested by the KPK investigating team on June 1, 2020, at a house in the Simprug area, South Jakarta. When the arrests were made, Nurhadi and his son-in-law had been on the run since February of the same year.

As well as being a fugitive, Nurhadi also made a fuss after beating officers of the KPK detention center. The anti-corruption commission said the violence occurred because there was a misunderstanding when officers conducted socialization regarding the plan to renovate one of the bathrooms for detainees.

Denying the KPK's statement, Nurhadi said that he was the one who was provoked by prison officials and denied the occurrence of acts of violence.

He also stated that the news of the beating because of the bathroom renovation issue was a hoax. According to him, so far there has been no socialization on bathroom renovation at the C-1 KPK Detention Center for the detainees.

Detention Center of Corruption Eradication Commission (Rutan KPK), continued Nurhadi, would not carry out renovations but instead closed and permanently sealed the bathroom. This is done after the discovery of a power bank.

This problem then continued to be handled by the authorities. This is because Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officers who were involved in the violence chose to report to the police.