KONTAN.CO.ID - JAKARTA. After days of rumors and speculation, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Friday (11/10) announced it had, for the second time, named House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto a suspect in the multi-trillion rupiah graft case surrounding the national electronic ID program.

The KPK said it had conducted a case screening of Setya’s case late last month and concluded that it would launch another investigation into the Golkar Party chairman.

“The KPK issued a sprindik [a letter ordering the start of an investigation] for suspect SN on Oct. 31,” KPK commissioner Saut Situmorang said, referring to Setya by his initials. 

Setya, who won a challenge to the KPK’s first attempt to prosecute him, has been charged with swindling state funds to enrich himself or other people or corporations as stipulated in Article 2 of the 2001 Corruption Law.

The KPK accused him of colluding with businessmen Anang Sugiharjo and Andi Agustinus and former Home Ministry official Irman to rig the 5.9 trillion (US$3.7 billion) e-ID project, causing Rp 2.3 trillion in state losses. 

The announcement came only days after the National Police said that they had started an investigation into allegations that Saut and KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo had falsified documents to ask the Immigration Office to extend a travel ban on Setya.

The allegation was made by one of Setya’s lawyers. (ahw)

Editor: Sanny Cicilia