Friedrich Yunadi, the high-profile Indonesian lawyer who once boasted on TV of how much he enjoyed taking ultra-luxurious vacations abroad won’t be taking any trips out of the country anytime soon after the Corruption Eradication Committee (KPK) placed a six-month travel ban on him yesterday.
Friedrich is most famous for having fiercely represented former House Speaker Setya Novanto during the KPK’s investigation into the powerful politician’s role in the enormous electronic ID card (e-KTP) graft scandal, going on the attack against not just the anti-corruption agency but even netizens who made memes mocking his client.
Despite Friedreich’s robust defense, Setya was eventually arrested by the KPK and the celebrity lawyer ended up dropping his client shortly before his corruption trial was set to start in early December.
According to KPK spokesperson Febri Diansyah, the travel ban placed on Fredrich is related to an investigation into charges of criminal obstruction of justice related to his defense of the former house speaker.
Although the KPK has not released any details regarding the investigation, they could stem from Setya’s highly suspicious excuses for avoiding questioning by the KPK about the case, including an infamous car crash incident that some suspected to have been faked but which ultimately led to Setya’s arrest at a hospital.
In addition to Fredrich, the KPK had Immigration place six-month travel bans on three more individuals related to the obstruction of justice investigation, including M Hilman Mattauch, a journalist who was in the car with Setya at the time of the alleged crash.
Those found guilty of obstruction of justice in Indonesian can receive a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.
