Jakarta – The inactive chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Firli Bahuri, has a lot of style. It was clear that he had lost badly in the pre-trial hearing against the Kapolda Metro Jaya, Irjen Pol Karyoto, yesterday he failed to appear at the follow-up examination process.
Firli Bahuri was actually fully aware that investigators had charged him with 3 articles of corruption (Tipikor). He was charged with Article 12e, or Article 12B, or Article 11 of Law no. 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes (Tipikor), as amended by Law no. 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 65 of the Criminal Code which occurred in the jurisdiction of Polda Metro Jaya around 2020 to 2023.
The threat of punishment is not arbitrary. In Article 12e and Article 12B of the Corruption Eradication Law, the minimum penalty is life imprisonment or imprisonment for a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 20 years. The fine is at least IDR 200 million and a maximum of IDR 1 billion.
Meanwhile, in Article 11 of the Corruption Eradication Law, the penalty is a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 5 years in prison, as well as a fine of at least IDR 50 million and a maximum of IDR 250 million.
But yes, that’s how Firli is. The figure of a retired 3-star Police General who is full of controversy. His ego is so high that the legal process against him seems like a joke. Moreover, until now he has not been detained by investigators even though his status is legal as a suspect.
Director of Special Criminal Investigation at Polda Metro Jaya, Kombes Pol Ade Safri Simanjuntak, said that the determination of the suspect against KPK Chairman Firli Bahuri was decided after holding a case last Wednesday, (22/11) evening.
“Based on the facts of the investigation, on Wednesday 22 November 2023, at 19.00 WIB, in the PMJ Ditreskrimsus room a case was held with the results of the discovery of sufficient evidence to establish Brother FB as chairman of the Indonesian Corruption Eradication Committee as a suspect in a case of alleged corruption in the form of extortion or receiving gratuities or “receipt of gifts/promises by civil servants/state administrators related to positions related to handling legal issues at the Indonesian Ministry of Agriculture in the period 2020 to 2023,” explained Kombes Pol Ade to journalists at that time.
He also said, that the police had examined 91 witnesses and 7 experts since the investigation into this case began on October 9 2023. Investigators also conducted searches at Firli’s residence on Jalan Kertanegara No. 46, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta and Gardenia Villa Galaxy, A2 No. 60, Jakasetia, South Bekasi. Apart from that, investigators have confiscated one of the foreign exchange documents in SGD and USD denominations from several money changer outlets totaling Rp7.468 billion from February 2021-September 2023.
All of these processes are valid because they comply with Article 184 of the Criminal Procedure Code. In Article 184 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code it is clearly determined regarding 5 valid pieces of evidence in criminal procedural law. The 5 pieces of evidence are witness statements, expert statements, letters, instructions and statements from the defendant or potential suspect. This means that the process of determining Firli Bahuri as a suspect is correct and there is no need to debate anymore. And Firli himself as a suspect should also be able to comply with this.
Moreover, Firli’s case file will be handed over to the Public Prosecutor at the DKI Jakarta High Prosecutor’s Office if it is declared P21. If he reaches this stage, it is very likely that he will be detained in the second stage of the submission process. The question now is, will Firli Bahuri still have much style when he arrives at this phase?
It feels impossible, even though all the veins of shame have been severed. Enjoy all of that, Firli. Bembo
