Police: Gold Mining Activities in Pohuwato Do Not Violate the Law

GORONTALO - A joint investigation team from various elements officially stated that it did not find any violations at the mining company in Pohuwato Regency, Gorontalo Province.

Director of Special Criminal Investigation (Dikrimsus) of the Gorontalo Police, Kombes Maruly Pardede, said that the implementation of the investigation in the mining company area was carried out on January 28-29, 2026.

"After conducting a search at the location and examining witnesses and experts, the investigation team did not find any alleged violations committed by the company, whether it was intentional or negligent," said Maruly, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, February 11.

The investigation team was formed on the basis of a request and a protest from the community in Pohuwato, who accused the gold mining company, PT PETS, of being the cause of the flash flood disaster in the area.

On the basis of this, the Governor of Gorontalo Gusnar Ismail together with the Gorontalo Police Chief Irjen Pol Widodo instructed the formation of an investigation team, which involved various related elements from the police, local government, vertical agencies, academics and community leaders who were competent and had legitimacy.

In addition to direct monitoring at the location and examination of witnesses, the investigation team also conducted a search related to the completeness of licensing documents.

"In conclusion, in this case the investigation team or investigator of the Gorontalo Police Criminal Investigation Unit did not find any criminal elements or violations of law, or in other words violations as regulated in Law on the Environment Article 98, and the Law on Minerals and Coal (Minerba) Article 158.

"If you look at the philosophy, mining is damaging the environment, but there are elements of articles that are regulated in the law on how to try to process the damage so that it does not cause problems or natural disasters," he added.