Ahok Appears as Witness in LNG Corruption Trial Causing $113.8 Million State Loss
JAKARTA — Former Chief Commissioner of PT Pertamina (Persero) Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, commonly known as Ahok, appeared as a witness in the hearing of an alleged corruption case concerning liquefied natural gas (LNG) procurement at Pertamina on Monday, 2 March 2026.
The case implicates the former Director of Gas at PT Pertamina, Hari Karyuliarto, and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development at the Gas Directorate of PT Pertamina, Yenny Andayani.
According to monitoring by Kompas.com, Ahok arrived at the Corruption Court (PN Tipikor) in Jakarta at 09.57 WIB. The presiding judge then asked the Public Prosecutor from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) which witnesses would be presented during the hearing.
“Which witnesses will the prosecution present?” asked the judge.
“There are three witnesses,” replied the prosecutor.
The KPK prosecutor stated that Ahok was summoned today because he previously served as Chief Commissioner overseeing the LNG procurement process.
“Mr Basuki oversaw the LNG procurement; there were six contracts and he conducted an analysis of their interrelationships,” the prosecutor said.
In this case, Hari and Yenny are alleged to have approved the procurement of imported LNG from Corpus Christi Liquefaction without following procurement guidelines and granting principal approval without adequate justification, technical analysis, or economic analysis.
The KPK alleges that the LNG purchase was conducted without a back-to-back contract in Indonesia or with any other party, meaning the imported LNG lacked certainty regarding its buyers and users.
“In fact, the imported LNG has never entered Indonesia to this day, and its price was higher than gas products available in Indonesia,” stated Asep Guntur Rahayu, the Acting Deputy for Prosecution and Execution at the KPK, at the Red and White Building in Jakarta on Thursday, 31 July 2025.
As a result, the state is alleged to have sustained losses totalling 113,839,186 dollars, or $113.8 million.
Hari and Yenny are alleged to have violated Article 2(1) or Article 3 of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes in conjunction with Article 55(1) clause 1 of the Criminal Code (KUHP).