Attorney General's Office interrogates three Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources officials regarding nickel corruption
The investigative team at the Attorney General’s Office’s Jampidsus division has interrogated three employees from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) as witnesses in the investigation of alleged corruption regarding nickel commodity management from 2017 to 2020.
“AMIZ, BS, and AA from the Ministry of ESDM,” stated the Head of the Legal Information Centre of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, in a statement in Jakarta on Monday.
He noted that the examination of these witnesses was conducted to strengthen the evidence and complete the case files in the nickel corruption case involving PT Ceria Nugraha Indotama (CNI).
“The investigation process is being carried out professionally, independently, and accountably, while upholding the presumption of innocence and the principle of prudence,” he added.
Previously, the Jampidsus investigative team revealed they were investigating alleged corruption in the management of nickel commodities from 2017 to 2020, which is suspected to involve PT CNI.
Saiful Bahri Siregar, Director of Investigation at Jampidsus, stated that between 2017 and 2019, there was a nickel mining company in Southeast Sulawesi holding a Production Operation Mining Business Permit (IUP), namely PT CNI.
According to investigators, the company did not yet possess a Work Plan and Budget (RKAB), yet it had already obtained export recommendations.
Investigators suspect that PT CNI, in collaboration with state officials, manipulated data to obtain nickel grade test results of less than 1.7 per cent to meet export requirements.
“PT CNI used invalid documents to conduct illegal nickel exports, which resulted in state financial losses,” said Saiful.
Based on calculations by the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP), the state financial losses in this case amount to approximately Rp401.65 billion.
On Friday (28/8), investigators received the handover of funds equivalent to the state losses from PT CNI.