Helping Harun Masiku, Hasto Charged with Obstructing Investigation and “Masterminding” Bribery

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The public prosecutor accused Hasto Kristiyanto of obstructing the investigation process by instructing Harun Masiku to dispose of a mobile phone, thereby hindering legal proceedings. The Secretary-General of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle was also charged with masterminding the bribery related to the management of members of the 2019-2024 House of Representatives, which also implicated former KPU member Wahyu Setiawan.

The indictment was read by the public prosecutor during the inaugural trial of the bribery and obstruction of investigation case with the defendant Hasto Kristiyanto at the Corruption Court (Tipikor) at the Central Jakarta District Court, Friday (14/3/2025). The trial was presided over by Chief Judge Rios Rahmanto, accompanied by two associate judges, Fajar Kusuma Aji and Sigit Herman Binaji.

During the trial, Hasto, dressed in a black suit with a white shirt, was accompanied by his legal team, including Ronny Talapessy, Maqdir Ismail, and Febri Diansyah. In addition to several PDI-P politicians such as Djarot Saiful Hidayat, Adian Napitupulu, and Chico Hakim, Hasto's wife and children also observed the proceedings of the first hearing.

In the initial trial, the public prosecutor at the anti-corruption commission revealed that Hasto deliberately obstructed, hindered, or disrupted the investigation, prosecution, and examination processes involving parties connected to the corruption case. This specifically pertains to Sprin.Dik/07/DIK.00/01/01/2020, the investigation of suspect Harun Masiku, who has remained a fugitive from the anti-corruption commission since 2020.

"The defendant (Hasto) acted by instructing Harun Masiku through Nurhasan to submerge Harun Masiku's mobile phone in water following the incident of being caught red-handed by KPK," said the prosecutor.

On January 8, 2020, KPK officers received information regarding communication between Wahyu Setiawan and Agustiani Tio Fridelina about the receipt of money related to the management of members of the 2019-2024 DPR. Wahyu was successfully apprehended by KPK officers at Soekarno-Hatta Airport.

It was also revealed that at around 6:19 PM, the defendant Hasto became aware of the arrest of Wahyu. Hasto then instructed Harun Masiku through Nurhasan to dispose of the mobile phone or handphone (HP) and wait at the DPP PDI-P office. Harun subsequently met Nurhasan at the Sofyan Cut Mutia Hotel in Jakarta. At 6:52 PM, the location tracking on Harun's mobile phone became inactive and untraceable.

In addition, the prosecutor continued, the defendant Hasto also ordered his staff, Kusnadi, to drown his cellphone. This began with the summons for examination against Hasto on June 10, 2024. On June 6, Hasto ordered Kusnadi to drown his cellphone in anticipation of the KPK summons.

On June 10, Hasto and Kusnadi were present at the KPK as witnesses. Before Hasto was questioned, he first entrusted his cellphone to Kusnadi. When confiscating Kusnasi's cellphone, investigators did not find any information about Harun Masiku.

After the obstruction of investigation charges, the prosecutor read out the charges related to bribery of the management of DPR members for 2019-2024. The prosecutor said that the bribery was carried out by Hasto together with Saeful Bahri, Donny Tri Istiqomah, and Harun Masiku.

They allegedly gave money amounting to 57,350 Singapore dollars or equivalent to Rp 600 million to Wahyu Setiawan through Agustiani Tio Fridelina. The purpose of giving the money was for Wahyu to pass Harun Masiku as a member of the 2019-2024 DPR elected from the inter-time replacement (PAW) mechanism.

In detail, the defendant Hasto appointed Donny Tri Istiqomah and Saeful Bahri to help Harun Masiku become a member of the DPR. The two people were asked by Hasto to report every development regarding both commitments and the transfer of money for the management of Harun Masiku.

While taking care of Harun Masiku through the official channels of the KPU and the Supreme Court, Saeful Bahri is known to have asked for help from Agustiani Tio Fridelina, a PDI-P cadre who is also a former Bawaslu member. Agustiani Tio is tasked with being a mediator between Saeful Bahri and Wahyu Setiawan.

On December 5, 2019, Saeful contacted Agustiani Tio to ask about the need for “operational costs” to Wahyu Setiawan. Saeful Bahri admitted that he had prepared IDR 750 million, but Wahyu asked for IDR 1 billion. Agustiani Tio then conveyed Wahyu's request to Saeful Bahri.

"Then Saeful Bahri reported Wahyu Setiawan's request to the defendant (Hasto) and the defendant agreed," said the prosecutor.

On December 16, 2019, Hasto sent a message to Saeful Bahri regarding the availability of Rp 600 million in funds. Rp 200 million of which would be used for greening the PDI-P Office and the other Rp 400 million was handed over to Donny Tri Istiqomah through Kusnadi.

Kusnadi then met Donny Tri Istiqomah in the PDI-P DPP meeting room on Jalan Diponegoro, Central Jakarta and entrusted the money wrapped in a brown envelope to be put in a black backpack. According to the prosecutor, Kusnadi said, "Sir, this is an order from the Secretary General to hand over Rp 400 million in operational funds to Mr. Saeful, Rp 600 million to Harun Masiku."

Donny then contacted Saeful Bahri and reported that he had received Rp 400 million from defendant Hasto and Rp 600 million from Harun Masiku. Saeful then asked Donny to exchange his money into Singapore dollars.

Next, on December 17, 2019, Wahyu Setiawan and Agustiani Tio Fridelina met with Saeful Bahri. There, an agreement and commitment was formed to pass Harun to the DPR. Saeful also handed over an operational down payment of 19,000 Singapore dollars. Wahyu took 15,000 Singapore dollars and handed over another 4,000 Singapore dollars to Agustiani Tio.

On December 23, 2019, Saeful again received Rp 850 million in operational funds from Harun Masiku. Saeful had reported this to Hasto via Whatsapp. Saeful then exchanged some of the money for 38,350 Singapore dollars (Rp 400 million) to be given to Wahyu via Agustiani. However, Wahyu asked Agustiani Tio to keep the Rp 400 million first.

Meanwhile, the remaining Rp 450 million was distributed to Agustiani Tio as much as Rp 50 million, Donny Tri Istiqomah as much as Rp 170 million, and Saeful Bahri and his team as much as Rp 230 million.

Long story short, in January 2020, Saeful received a Whatsapp from Hasto regarding the KPU letter. The result was that the replacement of the deceased legislative candidate had to go through the PAW mechanism. This meant that Harun Masiku still failed to qualify for Senayan.

After that period, the KPK conducted a sting operation against the bribery transaction of the 2019-2024 DPR member management. Officers also managed to secure 38,350 Singapore dollars from Agustiani Tio. Overall, the total transaction that had been given to Wahyu reached 57,350 Singapore dollars or equivalent to Rp 600 million.

The trial will continue on March 25 with the agenda of reading exceptions. After the trial, Hasto shouted, "Freedom!" when he saw his supporters present at the trial. He also hugged his wife, Maria Stefani Ekowati, as he walked out of the courtroom.