The Story Of A Former KPK Prisoner, Can't Pray Friday If You Don't Pay

Former Head of Construction Division VI PT Adhi Karya who was caught in the IPDN project corruption case in Minahasa, North Sulawesi during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, September 2. (Rizky A-VOI)

JAKARTA - Former detention center (Rutan) of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Dono Purwoko said he was locked in an isolation room so he could not perform Friday prayers because he did not pay the predetermined dues.

Dono is the former Head of Construction VI Division of PT Adhi Karya who was involved in the corruption case of the construction of the campus building of the Institute of Domestic Administration (IPDN) in Minahasa, North Sulawesi (Sulut) with a state financial loss of Rp. 19.7 billion.

The testimony began when Dono told of the beginning of his detention at the KPK Detention Center Pomdam Jaya Guntur Branch. At that time, he was in isolation for 14 days.

In fact, while undergoing the isolation, Dono was not allowed to carry out his obligations for Friday prayers.

"The first Friday I was doing it at Guntur. So when I wanted to pray it was not open, then there were even officers left," said Dono during a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, September 2.

Even though they have stated that they will deposit the money according to the request, the detention center officers have never given their rights as detainees. Because the money has not been sent or received by the officers.

"We shouted protest, so that some time later after arguing with one of the other officers, it was finally opened," said Dono.

With the incident, Dono assumed that the officers' actions against him were because they had not fulfilled the payment of the amount requested.

"I imagine, oh this means it will be a problem if you don't pay it right away," said Dono.

Meanwhile, in this case there were 15 former employees who became defendants. One of them was former Head of the KPK Detention Center Achmad Fauzi who was charged with extortion amounting to Rp6.3 billion.

The defendants involved in extortion include the former Acting Head of the 2018 KPK Detention Center Deden Rochendi, former Acting Head of the 2021 KPK Detention Center Ristanta and the Head of Security and Order (Kamtib) of the KPK in 2018-2022, Hengki.

Then the former officers at the KPK detention center, namely Erlangga Permana, Sopian Hadi, Ari Rahman Hakim, Muhammad Ridwan, Mahdi Aris, Suharlan, Ricky Rachmawanto, Wardoyo, Muhammad Abduh, and Ramadhan Ubaidillah A.

They are said to have committed extortion at the KPK detention center from May 2019 to May 2023. They are considered to have violated their authority to gain personal gain.

In this case, the defendants are believed to have violated Article 12 letter e of the Corruption Crime Law in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 64 Paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.