Attorney General's Office Prepares 34 Witnesses and 8 Experts for Defence Ministry Satellite Corruption Trial

The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) will present a total of 34 witnesses and 8 experts during the trial of the case involving the procurement of a satellite in the 123° East longitude orbital slot by the Ministry of Defence (Kemhan) from 2012 to 2021. Kejagung is confident that all witnesses will be able to prove the evidence of corruption committed by the defendants.

“There will be 34 witnesses that we will examine, and 8 experts that we will use to convince the panel of judges that what was done in this procurement of goods and services was against the law,” said Director of Prosecution for Jampidmil at Kejagung, Zet Tadung Allo, to reporters at the Jakarta High Military Court in East Jakarta on Tuesday (31/3/2026).

Zet stated that his side will prove the legal violations committed by all the defendants, particularly CEO of Navayo International AG, Gabor Kuti Szilard, who requested that invoices to him be paid. He mentioned that the goods procured in this procurement case are still non-functional to this day.

“Thus, defendant Gabor Kuti requested that all invoices listed in the contract be paid, which was done unlawfully, and the procured goods, after examination by experts, are also non-functional to this day,” he said.

Zet emphasised that the state will not pay the invoices from Gabor Kuti, which he considers to be based on crime. He hopes the trial will be conducted quickly.

“We must prove that the state is not in breach of contract in this matter, but we, the state, will not pay invoices that are done based on crime, fraud, yes. Therefore, we must prove it in this trial during this trial time, hopefully conducted with quick, affordable, and simple justice with the principle of openness,” he said.

As is known, the former Head of the Defence Facilities Agency of the Ministry of Defence and as the Committing Officer (PPK), Rear Admiral TNI (Ret.) Leonardi, and a US citizen named Thomas Anthony Van Der Hayden, have been charged with causing a state loss of USD 21.3 million or Rp 306.8 billion in this case. The figure is broken down from the total principal and interest payments that must be paid.

“That as a result of the actions of Defendant I Rear Admiral TNI (Ret.) Ir Leonardi, MSc, together with Defendant II Thomas Anthony Van Der Hayden, and Mr. Gabor Kuti Szilard (based on the Audit Result Report of BPKP Central Jakarta Year 2022 Number PE.03.03/SR-067/D5/02/2022 dated 12 August 2022), it has caused a state financial loss of USD 21,384,851.89 or Rp 306,829,854,917.72 as of 15 December 2021,” said the auditor.

CEO of Navayo International AG, Gabor Kuti Szilard, is also on trial today. However, Gabor is not present at the trial or is being tried in absentia because Gabor himself is still listed as a wanted person (DPO).