MAKI Asks Wamenkumham To Be Presented As BLBI Pretrial Witness

Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights (Wamenkumham) Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej (PHOTO VIA ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) has asked the Deputy Minister of Law and Human Rights (Wamenkumham) Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej to be presented as an expert witness in the trial of a pretrial lawsuit over the legitimacy of the BLBI-BDNI SP3 by the KPK.

The request was made by MAKI Coordinator Bonyamin Saiman during the trial of a pretrial lawsuit over the validity of SP3 BLBI-BDNI Sjamsul Nursalim and Itjih Nursalim published by the KPK at the South Jakarta District Court, Wednesday, June 23.

"Your Honor, I ask the judge to order the respondent (KPK-ed) to present the expert Omar Sharif Hiariej, therefore on page 23 the respondent's answer is mentioned and Professor Nur Basuki Minarno, that is the first request," said Bonyamin, quoted by Antara.

In addition, MAKI also asked to present an investigation report (BAP) on behalf of Lusiana Yanti Hanafiyah.

"Secondly, the minutes of the investigation of Lusiana Hanafiyah's investigation are presented on page 7, Your Honor, please convey it," said Bonyamin.

Bonyamin made the request when Sole Judge Alimin Ribut Sujono told the respondent to present witnesses at the follow-up hearing tomorrow, Thursday, June 24.

Then the judge asked the respondent's response (KPK) whether it could present the witnesses requested by the applicant.

The KPK's legal team stated that they would consider the request, whether it was necessary or not to be presented at tomorrow's trial.

"Regarding the applicant's application, we appreciate it as a form of the applicant's request, but with regard to the interests of being presented in this pretrial, we will consider whether or not it is necessary to be present with proof of the arguments we put forward," said Iskandar Marwoto, Acting Head of the Ligitation Section of the KPK Legal Bureau.

The trial was closed and continued tomorrow, Thursday, June 24 with the agenda of evidence from the respondent including expert witnesses.

Outside the trial, Iskandar said it was sufficient to first analyze whether the application was relevant or not related to the evidence of the applicant's argument.

"If it is enough with what was conveyed from this trial, even the experts have represented, I don't think we need to present it," said Iskandar.

The KPK indicated that it would present another witness because the available time was only one day apart to present the witness requested by the applicant (MAKI).

Responding to this, Bonyamin said that the time constraint had become a logical consequence, so it had to be prepared from the start.

"I just prepared Firman Wijaya and the Lampung farmers a month ago, when this lawsuit was registered and they were not present, it had to be prepared and the logical consequences were because he argued that two professors were made experts and there were also several BAPs. If you don't want to present the person, then the BAP is the person, right there are all the documents there, the BAP Prof Omar Sharif Hiariej or his statement and also Prof Nur Basuki Minarno earlier, as I asked the BAp against witness Lusiana Yanti Hanafiah. But I hope the person will be presented, " said Bonyamin.