Former Ombudsman Charged with Accepting Rp4.8 Billion Bribe from a Mining Company

JAKARTA - Former Ombudsman Chairman Hery Susanto was charged with receiving bribes totaling Rp. 4.85 billion in the form of cash and houses related to the alleged corruption case in nickel mining business management for the period 2021-2026.

Public Prosecutor (JPU) from the Attorney General's Office, Arif Darmawan Wiratama, said the bribes were allegedly received by Hery from several mining companies, through Edi Sukandi.

"The gift or promise was given to move the defendant Hery Susanto, in his position as a member of the Indonesian Ombudsman for the period 2021-2026, to arrange the Report of the Results of the Investigation (LHP) of the Indonesian Ombudsman," said the prosecutor when reading the indictment in a trial at the Corruption Court at the Jakpus PN, Thursday, June 25, reported by ANTARA.

The JPU revealed that the bribe was given so that Hery stated in the Ombudsman's LHP, the determination of the value of the obligation to pay the Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) for the Use of Forest Areas (PKH) on behalf of PT Thosida Indonesia and PT Dinamika Sejahtera Mandiri by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry RI as a maladministration.

In addition, it is also stated in the LHP that the rejection of the application for an increase in the Mining Business Permit (IUP) Exploration into a Production Operation IUP on behalf of PT Mitra Kumala Energi and PT Gold Telen River as an act of maladministration.

In detail, the bribe was received by Hery from Laode Sinarwan Oda as the Director of PT Thosida Indonesia for Rp675 million through Lukman Malanuang, which was given through Edi Sukandi.

Then, it was received from Tjia Peng Tjoan alias Peng as the Director of PT Dinamika Sejahtera Mandiri worth Rp200 million through Lukman Malanuang.

Meanwhile, from Agung Winarno in the form of a house located in Pulo Gebang Permai, Jakarta, for Rp2.2 billion; money worth Rp1.2 billion through Edi Sukandi; and money as much as Rp525 million.

In addition, continued the JPU, there was also the receipt of money by Hery from Muhammad Rosal as the representative of PT Mitra Kumala Energi through Agung Winarno for Rp50 million.

For his actions, Hery was charged with violating the criminal act stipulated in Article 12 letter a or Article 12 letter b or Article 5 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended and supplemented by Law Number 20 of 2021. 2001 or Article 606 paragraph (2) of the National Criminal Code jo. Article 2 paragraph (8) of Annex 1 figure 28 jo. Article VII figure 49 of Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Adjustment.