REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Former House of Representatives speaker Setya Novanto (Setnov) felt that he was framed by Director of PT Biomorf Lone Indonesia, Johannes Marliem. In the indictment against him, Marliem was known as the one who gave him gratification in the form of Richard Mille watch.
"By observing the fact of the trials that since the beginning Johannes Marliem with a certain intention had deliberately trapped me by recording conversations we had in every meeting," Novanto said when reading his defense statement in Corruption Court, Jakarta, on Friday (April 13).
Novanto also regretted the meeting occured at Hotel Gran Melia, Kuningan, South Jakarta. In the hotel, he met businessman Andi Agustinus alias Andi Narogong, former director general of Population and Registry Civil Ministry Irman, and former secretary general of Ministry of Home Affairs Diah Anggraeni.
"I really regret the meeting at Gran Melia Hotel, Kuningan. If only I had not been willing to be encountered by Andi Agustinus, Irman, and Diah Anggrainin at Gran Melia Hotel, I would probably never get involved far in the e-ID card project that has dragged me to sit in the defendant chair," he said.
According to Novanto, he has never intervened or proposed the budget of e-ID card implementation for 2011-2013 budget year in order to benefit himself or to lobby other person. Novanto said the meetings he had did not describe or prove that it it was to benefit himself or other.
Defendant in e-ID card procurement graft case Setya Novanto reads his defense statement in a hearing at Corruption Court, Jakarta, on Friday.
Earlier, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor has demanded 16 years in prison and a fine of Rp1 billion or six months more in prison for Novanto. The KPK prosecutor also demanded Novanto to pay compensation for the state fund losses he has caused.
"(We demand that the judges) would give an additional penalty by asking Novanto to pay US$7.435 million, minus Rp5 billion that the defendant had returned a month after the ruling was permanently effective. If he fails to meet the payment, his assets will be confiscated and later auctioned off to cover the payment. If his assets cannot meet the compensation payment, he would be sent to jail for three years," anti-graft agency's prosecutor Abdul Basir stated, while reading out his demand at the Central Jakarta district court, Jakarta, on March 29.
The prosecutor has also demanded the revocation of his political right. "(We demand) that his political right would be revoked for five years after he serves his prison term," he added.
The prosecutor has rejected Novanto's demand for a justice collaborator status. "The defendant has failed to meet the qualifications for a justice collaborator, and so we cannot accept his demand, but later if he could meet the requirements, the prosecutor may reconsider it," Basri elaborated.
Novanto was accused guilty for collecting US$7.3 million and a Richard Mille watch, worth US$135 thousand, causing a loss of Rp2.324 trillion to the state from the electronic ID project worth Rp5.9 trillion.