15 Legal Experts on Pertamina Case: Purely Business Relations, Not Corruption
Jakarta – Fifteen legal experts from various universities, including specialists in public procurement, have concluded that the alleged corruption case involving management of crude oil and refinery products at PT Pertamina (Persero), its sub-holding companies, and work contract partner contractors (KKKS) during the period 2018-2023 does not constitute corruption.
The case represents purely business relations. This conclusion stems from an examination hearing held by the Faculty of Law at Wahid Hasyim University in Jakarta regarding the court ruling on the corruption case involving Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza, Dimas Werhaspati, and Gading Ramadhan Joedo.
The examination reviewed the indictment, prosecution charges, defence arguments from the defendants’ legal advisors and the defendants themselves, and court transcripts. The experts concluded that matters related to ship leasing by PT Pertamina International Shipping (PT PIS) from PT Jenggala Maritim Nusantara (PT JMN) and fuel terminal leasing by PT Pertamina (Persero) from PT Orbit Terminal Merak (PT OTM) (subsequently novated to PT Pertamina Parta Niaga as per the agreement) constitute purely business relations and do not constitute corruption as defined under Article 603 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Indonesian Criminal Code (KUHP).
The participating experts include Prof. Dr. Eva Achjani Zulfa (University of Indonesia Faculty of Law), Prof. Dr. Tongat (Muhammadiyah University of Malang Faculty of Law), Prof. Dr. Amir Ilyas (Hasanuddin University Makassar Faculty of Law), Prof. Dr. Rena Yulia (Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University Banten Faculty of Law), Dr. Mudzakkir (Islamic University of Indonesia Yogyakarta Faculty of Law), Dr. Chairul Huda (Muhammadiyah University of Jakarta Faculty of Law), and Dr. Fachrizal Affandi (Brawijaya University Faculty of Law).
Additional experts include Maradona (Airlangga University Faculty of Law), Dr. Mahmud Mulyadi (University of North Sumatra Faculty of Law), Dr. Ir. Nandang Sutisna, a specialist and consultant in public procurement, Dr. Beniharmoni Harefa (UPN Veteran Faculty of Law), Dr. Aditya Wiguna Sanjaya (State University of Surabaya Faculty of Law), Dr. Rocky Marbun (Pancasila University Faculty of Law), Dr. Azmi Syahputra (Trisakti University Faculty of Law), and Karina Dwi Nugraha Putri (Gadjah Mada University Yogyakarta Faculty of Law).