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Just 48 hours before Sigid Haryo Wibisono finds out if he is to be sentenced to death for his alleged role in the murder of businessman Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, his family reported the trial prosecutors to the Public Prosecution Commission, claiming they had manipulated facts to support their demand for capital punishment.

Eddy Junaidi, a spokesman for the family, said on Tuesday that prosecutors had lied when they claimed Sigid had met with co-defendant Jerry Hermawan Lo and convicted murderer Eduardus Noe Ndopo Mbete to plot the businessman’s killing. Neither man, Eddy said, admitted to having met Sigid in person before.

“Such accusations are completely groundless considering that the hearings never once found any indication that Sigid ever met with [Eduardus], let alone handed money to him,” Eddy told reporters after a meeting with commission officials.

“The prosecutors are attempting to convince the judges that Sigid had a very strong interest in the murder and persuaded Eduardus to murder Nasrudin.”

Eddy said that prosecutors had no grounds to seek the death penalty for Sigid, the same sentence demanded for the suspected mastermind of the murder, former Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) chairman Antasari Azhar, and middle-ranking police officer Wiliardi Wizar.

“Sigid has been very compliant for most of the trial, but the death sentence demand really shook him up,” he said.

During the trial at the South Jakarta District Court, prosecutors said they initially considered Sigid the mastermind because he allegedly provided Rp 500 million ($53,500) in cash to finance the execution-style murder.

Eddy, however, said Sigid and Wiliardi were both “victims of a shadowy plot” to bring down Antasari.

This claim represents a change in tack for Sigid, who testified against Antasari in previous hearings and admitted that he secretly recorded their conversations when the former antigraft czar was a guest at his South Jakarta home.

“Antasari had earlier reported his personal problem [with Nasrudin] to the police, so it doesn’t make any sense that he later ordered the murder,” Eddy said.

Maria Ulfa Rombot, a member of the Public Prosecution Commission, said her office would examine the complaint before forwarding it to Attorney General Hendarman Supandji.

“We need to know if the prosecutors in question worked according to professional standards before we recommend anything to the attorney general,” Maria said. She added that she could not promise the process would be completed before Thursday, when the court is expected to deliver its verdicts in the case.

After meeting with commission members, Eddy also brought the complaint to Hamzah Tadja, deputy attorney general for internal supervision, who said that it would be passed on to the proper levels.

Eddy acknowledged the complaint came late in the trial, but said the family was prepared for the worst. “This includes being ready to appeal should Sigid be sentenced to death,” he said. “Our points in the complaint could then be used as a consideration by the higher courts.”