KPK Questions Two Police Generals About Case of Budi Gunawan

 Jakarta (Antara Bali) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is questioning two police generals and a police commissioner as witnesses in the corruption case of Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan.

        KPK declared Budi Gunawan a corruption suspect after he was picked by President Joko Widodo as a candidate to replace outgoing police chief Gen. Sutarman.

        Retired police Brig.Gen. Former Heru Purwanto and Insp.Gen Andayono, now East Kalimantan police chief  and Jombang deputy police chief Comr. Sumardji were questioned about suspicious transactions involving Budi Gunawan when he was head of the Career Development Bureau at the police headquarter in 2003-2006.

        KPK charged Budi Gunawan with receiving bribe  as head of the bureau during that period.

        "The three were questioned as witnesses in the case with Budi Gunawan as the suspect," KPK spokesman  Priharsa Nugraha said here on Tuesday.

        On Monday, KPK already investigated another witness Syahtria Sitepu , head of Police Education Institute (Lemdikpol).

        Syahtria , Budi Gunawan , Budi's son  Muhammad Herviano Widyatama and  Budi's  personal assistant Iie Tiara were banned from leaving the country by KPK.

        The KPK announcement triggered a controversy as it came a day before the standard procedure of fit and proper test by the Commission III of the parliament on 13 January.

        The parliament  approved the candidacy of Budi Gunawan despite the corruption charge.

        President Joko Widodo, however, did not immediately install Budi Gunawan instead he named a caretaker to take over  from  Sutarman, who was dismissed as police chief at the same time.

        Joko Widodo said installation of Budi was postponed not cancelled, after his legal case is settled. (WDY)