The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) placed Urip Tri Gunawan in detention on Monday as part of a bribery investigation targeting the state prosecutor.

The graft body also detained Artalita "Astuti" Suryani, the woman that investigators alleged gave Urip US$660,000 in cash.

Both Urip and the woman have been named suspects in the case, the second criminal case to involve a state prosecutor since South Jakarta prosecutors Burdju Roni and Cecep Sunarto were each sentenced to 20 months in jail in February last year for extortion.

The arrest comes as the KPK investigates the alleged misappropriation of Rp 100 billion in Bank Indonesia funds, in a case involving current and former bank officials and House of Representatives members.

KPK spokesman Johan Budi said investigators were seeking possible connections between Astuti and Gadjah Tunggal Group owner Sjamsul Nursalim, whose graft case involving Bank Indonesia liquidity funds was dropped by the Attorney General's Office.

Urip led the team of prosecutors handling Nursalim's Rp 28.4 trillion case.

"Urip denied during questioning the money (received from Artalita) was a bribe, insisting that it came from his gemstone business," Johan said. "All we found was the money, no gemstones."

The KPK have also questioned two men, who Johan refused to identify, as witnesses in the case.

Investigators from the graft body detained Urip at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday as he left a house in the South Jakarta housing complex of Simprug. The home, which is believed to belong to Astuti, was later searched at around 11 p.m.

Johan said the KPK immediately informed the Attorney General's Office of Urip's detention.

"We will develop the investigation by questioning other prosecutors who are also suspected of accepting bribes," he said.

In response to the arrest, Attorney General Hendarman Supandji said he had ordered Deputy Attorney General M.S. Rahardjo to check the possible involvement of other prosecutors in the bribery case.

"We'll find out how far this case goes, and see whether there are any other prosecutors involved. All of the names that Urip mentioned earlier will be on our list," Hendarman said during a press conference.

Hendarman said despite the bribery allegations, his office would not reopen the graft case involving Nursalim, provided that no new evidence was found.

"If we find new evidence, we'll reopen the case," he said.

In response to the arrest, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed deep concern, while pointing to the detention as a success for his anti-corruption campaign.

"The President is concerned, but on the other hand it shows that under his administration nobody is above the law," presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said as quoted by Antara news agency. (ewd/dia)

Popular

Why Indonesia must write ASEAN’s green rules

Freeport Indonesia pushes back full copper mine restart

Growth without gain: Why Indonesians don't feel the economy