Using a Wheelchair, Former Pertamina Director Chrisna Damayanto Detained by the KPK

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has detained the last suspect related to the alleged bribery case in the procurement of catalysts in the 2012-2014 fiscal year as well as the former Director of Processing of PT Pertamina (Persero) Chrisna Damayanto (CD).

Chrisna was seen being helped to walk using a wheelchair and was immediately taken to the detention car, namely to the KPK detention house.

"After being examined by investigators and the KPK health team, the arrest of the CD suspect was carried out for the first 20 days, which was calculated from January 5-24, 2025. The detention was carried out at the KPK Branch Detention Center, C1 building (KPK Anti-Corruption Education Center)," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Mungki Hadipratikto at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta, Monday, January 5, reported by ANTARA.

Meanwhile, Mungki explained that Chrisna played a role in conditioning so that PT Melanton Pratama (MP) could re-participate in the tender for catalytic residue catalytic cracking (RCC) products at the Balongan Refinery Unit (RU) VI.

"Based on this conditioning, the CD brothers finally made a policy of eliminating the obligation to pass the ACE Test for catalytic products that made PT MP selected as the winner of the procurement of catalysts in Balongan for the period 2013-2014 with a contract value of 14.4 million US dollars, or around Rp. 176.4 billion based on the rupiah exchange rate in 2014," he said.

After being selected as the winner of the catalyst procurement, he said, PT Melanton Pratama provided a portion of the commitment cost to Chrisna at least IDR 1.7 billion in the period 2013-2015.

The fee given to Chrisna came from Albemarle Corp which is the name used by PT Melanton Pratama, and is part of Albemarle Singapore Pte Ltd.

"The fee (commitment fee, ed.) is suspected to be related to the policy-making by CD's brother which is contrary to his duties and obligations as Director of Processing at Pertamina," he said.

As the recipient of the alleged bribe, the KPK suspects CD of violating Article 12 letter a or letter b or Article 11 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) of the old Criminal Code (KUHP).

Previously, on November 6, 2023, the KPK announced the investigation of alleged corruption in the form of gratification related to the tender for the procurement of catalysts at Pertamina, and has not been able to announce the identities of the suspects.

However, the KPK said the initial evidence of the case amounted to tens of billions of rupiah.

KPK on July 17, 2025, announced the appointment of four suspects in the case.

The determination was made after the KPK searched the house of Chrisna Damayanto (CD) and his son, Alvin Pradipta Adiyota (APA) on July 8, 2025, as well as the house of the Director of PT Melanton Pratama Gunardi Wantjik (GW) and the Operations Manager of PT Melanton Pratama Frederick Aldo Gunardi (FAG) on July 15, 2025.

On September 9, 2025, the KPK detained Alvin Pradipta, Gunardi Wantjik, and Frederick Gunardi. Chrisna Damayanto has not been detained for health reasons.