Attorney General's Office Reveals Chronology of Corruption Case Involving Ombudsman Chairman Hery Susanto

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has revealed the chronology of the alleged corruption case in the business governance of nickel mining in Southeast Sulawesi during the 2013-2025 period, which ensnares Hery Susanto, Chairman of the Indonesian Ombudsman for the 2026-2031 period.

Director of Investigation of the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) of the AGO, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, at the Jampidsus Building of the AGO in Jakarta on Thursday, stated that the case began when PT TSHI had issues with the calculation of non-tax state revenue (PNBP) by the Ministry of Forestry (Kemenhut).

Due to objections to making the related PNBP payment, LD, as the owner of PT TSHI, sought a solution and eventually met with Hery.

Hery, who at the time held the position of member of the Indonesian Ombudsman for the 2021-2026 period, agreed to assist by conducting an examination of the Kemenhut under the pretext of originating from a public complaint.

Then, in the examination process, Hery arranged it in such a way that the Kemenhut’s policy towards PT TSHI regarding the obligation to pay a fine was incorrect.

“The letter or policy carried out by the Kemenhut was corrected by the Ombudsman with an order for PT TSHI to perform its own calculation of the burden to be paid,” said Syarief.

Subsequently, a meeting occurred between Hery and LO, as an intermediary, in April 2025 at the Indonesian Ombudsman Building and at the Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta.

The meeting was held because LKM, as Director of PT TSHI, and LO knew that the Ombudsman’s function is to handle government policies and decisions, including Kemenhut policies.

Therefore, LKM and LO asked Hery to find administrative errors in the PNBP calculation process (Forest Area Borrowing Permit - IPPKH) as stipulated in the Kemenhut decision. In return, Hery would be given money amounting to Rp1.5 billion.

“To carry out that, suspect HS received a sum of money from LKM. Approximately Rp1.5 billion has already been handed over,” revealed Syarief.

For his actions, Hery has been charged with violating Article 12 letter a, Article 12 letter b, Article 5, and Article 606 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the new Criminal Code.