Defendant in LNG Corruption Case After Being Demanded 6.5 Years in Prison: This Is Very Heavy

Former Director of Gas at PT Pertamina, Hari Karyuliarto, has been demanded 6.5 years in prison in the alleged corruption case involving the procurement of liquefied natural gas (LNG) or liquefied natural gas. Hari considers this demand very heavy for him.

“Yes, I think the demand is very heavy for someone who did not commit any wrongdoing, did not harm the state, and even provided a legacy of LNG contracts that to this day have generated profits for Pertamina, reaching up to USD 97.6 million by the end of December. Of course, this is very heavy, but I will submit a defence note,” said Hari after the prosecution hearing at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court, on Monday (13/4/2026).

Hari claims to have forgiven the prosecutors and investigators who ensnared him in the case. He alleges that the prosecutors and investigators were merely following orders from superiors to detain him.

“Because from conversations with them, they stated that this was an order from superiors. The investigator clearly stated, please forgive me for detaining me, because this is an order from superiors. Similarly, one of the public prosecutors in an informal conversation also stated that this was an order from superiors,” said Hari.

“So I forgive them, both the investigators and the public prosecutors, because they actually do not know what they are doing, and according to my faith, like the teachings of Christ, I must love them and pray for those who persecute me,” he added.

Hari’s lawyer, Wa Ode Nur Zainab, stated that the realisation of sales in the procurement occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic when Hari had already retired. According to her, Hari received no benefits related to the case.

“The connection mentioned with the public prosecutor’s demand earlier has nothing to do with crime. There is no kickback, no conflict of interest, no receipt of any money related to this, and nothing has been seized,” said Wa Ode.

She mentioned that none of Hari’s accounts were blocked in the case. She also alluded to the seizure that was carried out, which was only a mobile phone and has now been returned.

“So this case is truly a business matter where the management of the aforementioned sales business was not under him; he had already retired to the new management. He only signed the contract, and when that contract signature was approved by all directors and became a corporate decision, yes, a corporate decision,” she said.

Wa Ode stated that the losses only occurred during the Corona pandemic in 2020-2021, not because of price review, not because there were no guidelines, not because there was no back-to-back. She hopes that President Prabowo Subianto will pay attention to this case.

“We all hope that the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Mr Prabowo Subianto, friends in the DPR, the Judicial Commission, please… please look at this today there is criminalisation happening, clear criminalisation. Please make this a joint concern of how he can be freed from this injustice. Please attention from all Indonesian society,” she said.

She stated that the former President Director of Pertamina, Karen Galaila Agustiawan, became a consultant at Blackstone company when Hari had already retired. According to her, Hari knew nothing about the company.

“Mr Hari knows absolutely nothing and does not even know Blackstone, Blackrock, has never communicated anything. So if it is said that enriching Mrs Karen by one billion something, that is clearly, well, a heinous slander, not in accordance with the facts, and actually the Supreme Court decision has stated that it is a legitimate receipt,” she said.

Wa Ode also disagrees if this procurement is said to enrich the United States company, Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC (CCL). She said that the receipt of the LNG purchase results is in accordance with the specifications and volume in the contract.

“So if Pertamina spends money to buy LNG, that does not mean enriching Corpus Christi because Pertamina receives the goods,” said Wa Ode.

“Including what was sold profitably in 2019, that was goods bought from Corpus Christi. What has been profitable for Pertamina from 2022 to now, USD 97.6, is the result of purchases from Corpus Christi. We pay Corpus Christi, we receive the goods and we sell again. Remember, so it is impossible to then say enriching Corpus Christi,” she added.

Previously, two defendants in the alleged corruption case of liquefied natural gas (LNG) procurement or liquefied natural gas were demanded 5.5 and 6.5 years in prison. The prosecutors are convinced that both defendants are guilty in the case.

The prosecution hearing was held at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court, on Monday (13/4/2026). The two defendants are former Director of Gas at PT Pertamina, Hari Karyuliarto, and former VP of Strategic Planning Business Development of the Gas Directorate at Pertamina, Yenni Andayani.

“Stating that defendant I Hari Karyuliarto Yulianto and defendant II Yenni Andayani have been legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing the criminal act of corruption as in the first indictment violating Article 603 in conjunction with Article 20 letter c in conjunction with Article 126 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code,” said the prosecutor when reading the indictment.

“Imposing a sentence on defendant I Hari Karyuliarto with a prison sentence of 6 years and 6 months,” added the prosecutor.

The prosecutor demands that Hari pay a fine of Rp 200 million. If the fine is not paid, it is replaced with imprisonment for 80 days.

“And a fine of Rp 200,000,000 subsidiary replacement prison sentence for 80 days,” said the prosecutor.

Meanwhile, the prosecutor demands Yenni with a prison sentence of 5.5 years. The prosecutor also demands that Yenni pay a fine of Rp 200 million subsidiary 80 days imprisonment.

“Imposing a sentence on defendant two Yenni Andayani with a prison sentence of 5 years and 6 months and a fine of Rp 200,000,000 subsidiary replacement prison sentence for 80 days,” said the prosecutor.

The prosecutor said that the aggravating considerations for the demand are that the defendants do not support the government’s programme in realising a government that is clean from corruption, collusion, and