JAKARTA. Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors on Thursday rejected senior lawyer Otto Cornelis Kaligis’ request for the lifting of a freeze on his two bank accounts, currently frozen in connection with bribery case in which Kaligis is implicated.

“The handling of the case involving suspect OC Kaligis does not stand alone. It is related with another case for which the investigation is not yet complete,” KPK prosecutor Yudi Kristiana said in a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday as quoted by Antara news agency.

“The suspect’s accounts are connected, both directly and indirectly, with another [ongoing] investigation, therefore, the freezing of the suspect’s bank accounts is still necessary,” the prosecutor added.

Yudi said that “suspicious transactions” had already been found in Kaligis’ account records, and that the freezing of his accounts was in line with Law No.30/2002 on the KPK’s authority.

“[...] the law stipulates that in carrying out pre-investigations, investigations and prosecutions, the KPK has the authority to order banks or other financial institutions to freeze accounts belonging to a suspect, a defendant or other parties,” said Yudi.

Kaligis said he needed access to his accounts to pay the salaries of lawyers at his law office.

“[...] the [frozen] accounts have just been used to pay salaries and taxes. […] Moreover, it is not a money laundering case. The account freezing aims merely to close my office. I have not paid salaries of my employees for two months,” said Kaligis.

The KPK named Kaligis a suspect in a bribery case involving three judges and a clerk of the State Administrative Court (PTUN) in Medan, North Sumatra.

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie