East Java Attorney General's Office Uncovers Evidence of Illegal Fee Distribution in Mining Permit Extortion at Energy and Mineral Resources Office

Surabaya (ANTARA) - The East Java High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Jatim) has uncovered records of the distribution of illicit levies (pungli) related to permitting within the provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Office (Dinas ESDM). “As a result of that activity (the second search at the ESDM Office), investigators successfully secured evidence in the form of files and financial distribution notes (from the pungli proceeds),” said Assistant for Special Crimes at Kejati Jatim, Wagiyo, in Surabaya on Thursday. Wagiyo stated that evidence has been found of the flow of pungli funds from mining permits, which were routinely distributed to all mining division staff, including the Head of the Permitting Task Force Group. The distribution of these funds occurred monthly over a two-year period, with varying amounts between Rp750,000 and Rp2.5 million. “The amount depends on the employee’s status, position, length of service, and workload,” he said. In addition, electronic evidence was seized from several individuals whom investigators consider key witnesses, along with various documents, namely application files that are suspected of being deliberately separated, stored, or withheld. Furthermore, leadership disposition notes were obtained, representing unauthorised instructions from the ESDM Office Head’s Room and the Mining Division Head. Meanwhile, Kejati Jatim investigators conducted another search at the East Java ESDM Office on Monday (20/4), lasting about six hours from 14:30 WIB to 20:00 WIB. Previously, investigators had named three suspects: the Head of the East Java ESDM Office AM, the Head of the Mining Division OS, and an official with initials H who serves as the Head of the Groundwater Business Task Force. The investigation process is ongoing, particularly after the three suspects were officially detained.