KPK Prosecutor Reveals Musto's Trick To Prevent Harun Masiku's Investigation

PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto (Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Public Prosecutor (JPU) of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) strongly denied allegations from Hasto Kristiyanto's camp that investigator Rossa Purbo Bekti had a conflict of interest when testifying at the trial of the bribery and obstruction case of Harun Masiku's investigation.

In the replica trial of the defendant's pledoi at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court, Monday, July 14, the prosecutor stated that Rossa was present as a fact witness, not a witness containing the conflict.

"The legal counsel for the defendant investigator has a conflict of interest that is not true. Rossa Purbo Bekti was presented as a fact witness to clarify the defendant's role in the investigation's obstruction effort," said the prosecutor.

The prosecutor also revealed that Rossa's statement actually strengthened evidence of intervention in the investigation of the Harun Masiku case, including plans for arrests that failed due to internal obstacles.

The KPK still believes that Hasto Kristiyanto is legally and convincingly proven to have committed two criminal acts, namely bribing in the management of interim replacement (PAW) for members of the DPR and obstructing investigations.

Hasto was charged with being with Donny Tri Istiqomah, Saeful Bahri, and Harun Masiku for paying 57,350 Singapore dollars (around Rp 600 million) to KPU commissioners Wahyu Setiawan and Agustiani Tio Fridelina.

The money was given in order to pass Harun Masiku as a member of the DPR from the South Sumatra I electoral district.

Not only that, but the prosecutor also revealed Hasto's actions in obstructing the investigation after the OTT against Wahyu. He is said to have ordered Nurhasan to submerge Harun Masiku's cellphone into the water, and ordered his aide, Kusnadi, to sink his cellphone in anticipation of confiscation by investigators.

"The defendant's actions have been proven legitimate and convincing as an effort to prevent investigation as regulated in Article 21 of the Corruption Act in conjunction with Article 65 of the Criminal Code," said the prosecutor.

Previously, Hasto in his plea denied all charges and stated that the demands of 7 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 600 million were unfair. He asked the panel of judges to release him from all charges and restore his good name.