Ex-Director of Gas Pertamina Divonis 4.5 Years in Prison for LNG Corruption Case

Two defendants in the alleged corruption case of Pertamina LNG, Hari Karyuliarto (left) and Yenni Andayani during the reading of the verdict at the Jakarta Corruption Court (ANTARA/Agatha Olivia Victoria)

JAKARTA - Director of Gas PT Pertamina (Persero) for the period 2012-2014 Hari Karyuliarto was sentenced to four years and six months in prison after being found guilty of corruption in the procurement of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Presiding Judge Suwandi in the trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court stated that the defendant was found guilty as charged by the public prosecutor.

"It is stated that the defendant is proven to be legally and convincingly guilty of committing the crime of corruption together and continuing," said the judge in the ANTARA, Monday, May 4.

The panel of judges considered that Hari's actions, among others, did not formulate guidelines in the LNG procurement process from international sources and continued to process the LNG procurement from Cheniere Energy Inc.

In the same case, Vice President of Strategic Planning Business Development of the Pertamina Gas Directorate for the period 2012-2013, Yenni Andayani, was also sentenced to three years and six months in prison.

The judge said Yenni was proven to have proposed the signing of a circular board meeting minutes related to the LNG Train 1 and Train 2 sales and purchase agreements from Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC (CCL) without being supported by economic studies, risk analysis, and without certainty of the buyer who is bound by contract.

In addition to imprisonment, the two defendants were also sentenced to a fine of Rp. 200 million each, with 80 days in prison.

As a result of the two's actions, the state suffered a loss of 113.84 million US dollars or equivalent to around Rp1.77 trillion.

Thus, both of them were found to have violated Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) jo Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.

In its consideration, the panel of judges stated that the aggravating factor was that the defendants' actions did not support the government's program in eradicating corruption.

"This condition relieves, among others, the defendants who are over 60 years old and have never been convicted," said the presiding judge.

The verdict was lighter than the prosecutor's demand. Previously, Hari was sentenced to six years and six months in prison, while Yenni was sentenced to five years and six months in prison in the case of the procurement of LNG Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC at Pertamina and related institutions for the period 2011-2021.

The amount of the fine demanded remains the same, namely Rp200 million each, with 80 days of imprisonment.