19 ESDM East Java Civil Servants and Non-Permanent Staff Return Rp707 Million Allegedly from Extortion
Nineteen staff members from the Mining Division of the Energy and Mineral Resources Office (ESDM) of East Java Province have returned cash amounting to Rp707 million, proceeds from illegal levies (pungli) on mining and groundwater permits, to the investigation team of the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Jatim).
Assistant for Special Crimes (Aspidsus) of Kejati Jatim, Wagiyo, stated that the return of the money was made by the 19 staff after investigators discovered regular fund flows from the pungli distributed to employees.
Based on examination results, the money was distributed on instructions from the Head of the East Java ESDM Office, Aris Mukiyono, who has become a suspect in this pungli case. The 19 individuals are subordinates of suspect Ony Setiawan, Head of the Mining Division of the ESDM Office.
“A regular flow of pungli money from permits has been found, distributed to all mining division staff, including mining, on instructions from suspect AM (Aris Mukiyono). There is a permit group led by about 19 people from suspect OS (Ony Setiawan) as the mining division head, on instructions from suspect AM as the office head,” said Wagiyo on Thursday (23/4).
The 19 employees are staff in the Mining Division of the East Java ESDM Office. They include Civil Servants (ASN), as well as non-permanent staff.
“There are civil servants and also non-permanent staff. That’s why we mentioned earlier that the amounts vary according to status and workload,” he said.
The pungli funds have been flowing to them for nearly two years. The amounts received by each staff member also vary, depending on their position and responsibilities in the East Java ESDM Office.
“The distribution of the money is done routinely every month. So from the pungli proceeds, it is distributed routinely every month, at the end of the month, over a period of approximately two years. With varying amounts from Rp750,000 to Rp2.5 million depending on status. Status meaning employee, non-permanent, position, depending on status. And the workload performed,” he explained.
Gradually, the 19 staff have returned a total of Rp707 million in cash from the pungli distribution. However, their legal status remains as witnesses in this case.
“So as of this morning. Together, the 19 people have returned, and the total amount received is Rp707 million. Well, today friends have seen, this is the money from the return by the employees who feel that they should not have received it, returned amounting to Rp707 million,” he said.
In addition to seizing cash, investigators also seized assets belonging to suspect Ony Setiawan, namely one luxury car unit suspected to have been purchased using proceeds from the mining permit pungli crime.
“Additionally, we also state that investigators seized or secured one unit of Toyota Fortuner VRZ 4x2 AT, metallic black, 2022 model, licence plate L 1275 ABD, belonging to suspect OS at his home. Which, if we look at its acquisition, comes from illegitimate income. Certainly from the pungli proceeds,”
In a further six-hour search on Monday (20/4), the investigation team managed to secure several documents suspected to have been deliberately hidden to cover up the unlawful practices in the ESDM Office environment.
“Investigators conducted another search on 20 April 2026. This lasted about six hours from 14:30 to 20:00. From the search activity at the ESDM Office, investigators found several key witnesses,” said Wagiyo.
“Then we also found several documents and permit application files that were indicated to have been deliberately separated, stored, or withheld. We found notes on financial distributions and leadership disposition writings that are unlawful orders obtained from the office head’s room and the mining division head,” he added.
Kejati Jatim emphasised that the construction of this case is extortion against permit applicants or investors.
Previously, the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office officially named three officials from the East Java Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Office as suspects in the alleged illegal levies (pungli) on permits case. In this case, investigators seized evidence of cash and bank account balances totalling Rp2.3 billion.
The three suspects are East Java ESDM Head Aris Mukiyono, Mining Division Head Ony Setiawan, and Head of the Groundwater Business Working Team with initials H. All three were immediately detained for investigation purposes.
East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa officially appointed MHD Aftabuddin Rijaluzzaman as Acting Head (Plt) of the East Java Energy and Mineral Resources Office.