Ex-Ombudsman Yeka Hendra charged over alleged role in obstructing palm oil corruption case

JAKARTA - The Attorney General’s Office has revealed the role of former Ombudsman RI member Yeka Hendra Fatika (YHF) in a case alleging obstruction of handling a corruption trial involving the facilitation of crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives’ export in 2022.

Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, Director of the Special Crimes Prosecution (Jampidsus) at the Attorney General’s Office, stated on Monday at the Jampidsus building in Jakarta that the case against Yeka Hendra began in early February 2022 during Indonesia’s cooking oil shortage.

Yeka Hendra, as a member of the Ombudsman RI, initiated an investigation by ordering the Chief Assistant III team to conduct surveys in 34 provinces and media tracking.

Results of the investigation were documented in an Ombudsman report dated 24 March 2022 concerning alleged maladministration in the supply and price stabilisation of cooking oil by the Ministry of Trade.

“Mr YHF altered the Ombudsman RI’s information report, which originally focused on the cooking oil shortage, to recommend the revocation of the Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) for export interests, in an unlawful manner,” he said.

Thus, the Ministry of Trade’s DMO regulations were recommended for revocation by the Ombudsman RI.

However, the DMO was part of the alleged unlawful acts charged against defendants in the 2022 CPO export facilitation corruption case.

However, Yeka provided the audit report to MS (Marcella Santoso) and the team from AALF Legal, which then became the legal basis for civil and administrative lawsuits against the Ministry of Trade.

Marcella is the corporate lawyer involved in the CPO case.

“This influenced the dismissal of charges against corporate defendants PT Wilmar Group, PT Musim Mas Group, and PT Permata Hijau Group at the district court level,” he said.

Through the manipulation of the audit report, Yeka is suspected of receiving money from PT Wilmar Group via third-party accounts and future projects from Wilmar Group-affiliated companies.

For his actions, Yeka is charged under Article 21 of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with Article 20 of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code.

“The alleged corruption involved intentionally obstructing, hindering, or thwarting investigations, prosecution, and court proceedings against defendants in the 2022 CPO export facilitation corruption case,” Syarief said.

After being named a suspect, Yeka has been detained for 20 days at Salemba Detention Centre under the Attorney General’s Office.