Jakarta –
Former KPK deputy chairman Bambang Widjojanto (BW) revealed the Director of Prosecution KPK Fitroh Rohcahyanto returned to the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) without smiling and held his head up when he returned to the AGO. BW also mentioned the Formula E case regarding Fitroh’s return.
“Even though he did not want to explain directly, he continued to uphold his integrity. He said, I did not smile again, but I could hold my head up when I returned to the prosecutor’s office,” BW said in an official statement received detikcomMonday (6/2/2023).
BW himself said that there were 3 things that caused Fitroh to return to the AGO. First, he said, because there were differences of opinion regarding Formula E.
“First, there is an indication in the form of a conversation related to the Formula E case which was allegedly put forward by one of the leaders KPK which emphasized, ‘… if you don’t agree, then please leave the group,'” he explained.
“Second, the phrase “… PLEASE GET OUT …” has the connotation of a form of ‘threat’ and it can also be referred to as verbal violence. For that it needs to be questioned, isn’t this a violation of 3 (three) out of 5 ( five) KPK principles, namely: accountability, legal certainty and public interest,” added BW.
Furthermore, regarding the comments of the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud Md regarding the Formula E and Anies Baswedan cases. BW accused that there was a connection between Mahfud’s comments and Fitroh’s return.
“It could even be that the KPK itself can be accused of ‘playing politics’ and was strengthened by Mahfud who mentioned politicization,” he said.
“If the facts above in point 3 are related to Mahfud Md’s statement in point 4, then a reality can be constructed, namely: some KPK leaders are trying to force their interests to suspect Anies, causing, one of them, the Director of Prosecution of the KPK to resign,” he explained.
KPK response
The KPK responded to BW’s comments about the return of KPK Prosecution Director Fitroh Rohcahyanto to the AGO. According to the KPK, BW’s statement was a form of intervention.
Head of KPK Reporting Unit, Ali Fikri, admitted that he had heard reports that BW and Fitroh had met. During the meeting, Fitroh said BW did not smile but held his head up. According to Ali, he had heard these words directly from Fitroh.
“Then there was also news, one of the statements from BW, if I’m not mistaken, is related to the word that there was communication with Mr. Fitroh, he came out not smiling but able to hold his head up,” he told reporters on Monday (6/2/2023).
“Indeed, I have also heard this sentence before by Mr. Fitroh when we of the same generation met with him as parting and farewell, including also conveying it at the release ceremony on the 15th floor together with the chairman of all the leadership and all structural members of the KPK in an atmosphere of familiarity, a family atmosphere, ” said Ali.
According to Ali, what Fitroh meant by not smiling and going out with his head was part of Fitroh’s devotion. Ali also denied that there were slanted accusations about the gesture.
“He also conveyed his meaning, sadly, he returned to the Attorney General’s Office because he had to part ways with his friends here. By holding his head up, he was proud to be able to join the KPK, he worked a lot at the KPK, including his work which contained guidelines for prosecution, for the prosecutor it was work when later he was the director of prosecution,” said Ali.
“So he left with his head held high, not because for example there was something, for example in the code of ethics, etc., no. Because once again he requested that he return to his career, then the secretary general brought him here to the Attorney General’s Office as an appreciation for the performance of the person concerned,” he explained.
He also hopes that no one will link Fitroh’s return with the Formula E case. According to Ali, the investigation into the Formula E case is still ongoing.
In fact, he said, BW’s statement was a form of intervention because it was seen as dragging the KPK into the political realm. Ali also asked for the polemic to stop.
“So we ask and hope that, including the public, don’t continue to narrate it by being associated with Formula E etc., it is counterproductive to the existing facts, not in accordance with the existing facts as reported yesterday,” he said.
“Precisely these statements are a form of real intervention for us law enforcers with narratives brought into political areas. I think stop and end problems like that,” he stressed.
See also ‘Dewas’ response to the issue of the KPK forcing Formula E investigation’:
(dwia/dwia)
