Setya Novanto taken into custody

The Jakarta Globe, November 20, 2017

Jakarta. The national antigraft agency transferred House of Representatives Speaker Setya Novanto from a state-owned hospital in Central Jakarta to its detention facilities in the city late on Sunday night (19/11) after doctors decided that he no longer needed to be hospitalized

Television footage showed Setya leaving the hospital shortly before midnight in a wheelchair, escorted by police officers and members of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

He was wearing an orange KPK detainee jacket when he later arrived at the antigraft agency's offices in South Jakarta. He did not make any statement.

Setya, who is a suspect in a high-profile case involving graft in the procurement of electronic national identity cards, or e-KTP, was admitted to Medika Permata Hijau Hospital in South Jakarta on Thursday night after his car collided with an electricity pole. He was transferred to Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital the next day for further diagnosis and treatment.

"There is no indication that he needs to be hospitalized," Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital chief executive Dr. Soejono said, referring to the finding of a medical team following three days of treatment.

Dr. Adib Khumaidi, secretary general of the Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI), affirmed Soejono's statement during a joint press conference with the KPK at the hospital.

"We observed him, starting with a physical analysis, supporting tests and a diagnosis to determine whether he is fit for questioning," Adib said.

KPK investigators asked the IDI for a second opinion to make sure the Golkar Party chairman can be interrogated.

"According to the doctors at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, as conveyed by the chief executive of the hospital, and verified by a team of doctors from the IDI, the person of concern does not need to be hospitalized.

Therefore, according to procedure, the suspension of his detention is no longer required, so he will be transferred from here to the KPK detention center," KPK commissioner Laode Muhammad Syarif said.

The KPK issued a warrant for Setya's arrest last week after he failed on several occasions to comply with summonses for questioning in the case. The arrest warrant was suspended following the accident.

He was declared a suspect for a second time early this month, after the South Jakarta District Court cleared him of charges in the same case at the end of September in response to a pretrial motion.

Novanto may face up to 20 years in prison if found guilty on allegations that he received Rp 574 billion ($42 million) from the Rp 5.9 trillion e-KTP project, which resulted in Rp 2.3 trillion in state losses.


(tjonge just not only driven againt the pole, but also “tegen de lamp gelopen”, siK’ comment)


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