Indonesia: Police fail to apprehend House speaker

By Chandni Vasandani and Megiza Asmail

JAKARTA, Indonesia

As part of an ongoing effort, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Wednesday night has attempted to apprehend Indonesian House of Representatives Speaker and graft suspect Setya Novanto for questioning.

The late night operation at Novanto's residence in Jakarta was led by around eight KPK investigators and assisted by around 30 police officers and the mobile brigadier and has been broadcast on live TV in Indonesia.

"We met with his family and lawyers, but we were unable to find him," KPK spokesman Febri Diansyah told media in a press conference following the operation.

"It is not too late for him to hand himself over and make it easier for everyone. However, we will coordinate with the police to place him on the wanted list if necessary," Diansyah added.

Six KPK investigators wheeled away a number of bags suspected to carry evidence against corruption suspect and Novanto, according to an Anadolu Agency reporter at the scene.

Earlier on Wednesday, Novanto failed to appear for questioning, choosing instead to attend the legislature's plenary meeting, citing that as a viable reason for dismissing the KPK summons.

It would have been the first questioning for Novanto since he was named a graft suspect again last Friday, in the case that is believed to have amounted to $170 billion in state losses.

On Monday, Novanto was scheduled to be questioned at the KPK headquarters as a witness in its investigation into the high-profile graft case, in which the politician is suspected of having played a significant role.

However, he sent a letter in lieu of his attendance, saying the KPK needed to secure permission from the president in order to question him.

On July 17, the KPK named Novanto a suspect. The commission maintains that he played a big role in an alleged scheme to swindle funds allotted for an e-ID card project

In late September, the South Jakarta District Court cleared the pretrial motion filed by Novanto, saying that the antigraft body lacked sufficient evidence to prosecute the politician.

Graft law experts estimate Setya Novanto will be taken in by the police early on Thursday for questioning related to the e-ID graft case.

This is a developing story.