East Java High Prosecutor's Office Names Fourth Suspect in ESDM Licensing Extortion Case

The East Java High Prosecutor’s Office has named a fourth suspect in a case of alleged corruption involving abuse of authority and illegal levies in the licensing process at the East Java Provincial Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Department. The suspect, identified by the initials ED, serves as the Head of the Geology and Groundwater Division at the department.

Assistant for Special Crimes at the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office, I Gede Punia Atmaja, stated on Tuesday that ED is the latest individual to be charged in the case. Three other suspects were previously named: AM, the Head of the ESDM Department for the August 2024–2026 period; OS, the Head of the Mining Division; and H, the Head of the Groundwater Utilisation Working Team.

Based on the investigation, ED is suspected of playing an active role in the illegal levy practices targeting applicants for groundwater utilisation permits. Investigators allege that ED, under the instruction and/or with the knowledge of AM, ordered H to demand money from applicants outside of official provisions.

‘From the investigation results, suspect ED ordered suspect H to request sums of money not in accordance with regulations from 217 permit applicants, totalling Rp1.33 billion,’ Punia stated.

Furthermore, ED is also suspected of controlling the management of the illicit funds. Investigators claim the suspect instructed H to keep books of all receipts and expenditures, with all spending requiring ED’s approval. The funds were subsequently reported to both ED and AM.

For his actions, ED is charged under Article 12 letter e or Article 12 letter b of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001, in conjunction with Article 20 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, as well as Article 606 paragraph (2) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code. To facilitate the investigation, the High Prosecutor’s Office has detained ED for 20 days, from 28 July to 16 August 2026, at the Class I Surabaya Detention Centre, branch of the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office.