Former Deputy Minister Silmy Karim to Consider Pre-trial Motion
Sahala Siahaan, the lawyer representing former Deputy Minister of Immigration and Correctional Services (2025-2026) Silmy Karim, stated that his team is considering a pre-trial motion to test the law enforcement process conducted by the Corruption Eraduation Commission (KPK).
“The [pre-trial] option is not an immediate necessity, but it can be considered. Our primary focus is on providing legal assistance and support to him; we will not abandon him,” said Sahala at Silmy’s residence in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Friday (5/6).
Sahala and several colleagues from the Alumni Team of the Trisakti University Faculty of Law are providing legal counsel to Silmy. As legal representatives, they questioned KPK investigators during a search of Silmy’s residence this afternoon.
“There has been communication with the investigators. As his legal counsel, we have informed them of our presence, and we respect all processes as long as they comply with the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP),” he added.
During the session, Sahala criticised the KPK’s narrative, which suggested that Silmy should surrender himself. He noted that Silmy was performing his duties as Deputy Minister at the time and had not received any official summons regarding the matter.
“During the process on Wednesday (3 June), Mr Silmy was never summoned for any specific event, yet the framing suggests he was difficult to locate. This ambiguity creates confusion as to whether he had been summoned, whether he had been called three times, or if he had been placed on the Most Wanted list (DPO), leading to the appeal for him to surrender,” Sahala explained.
The KPK has named Silmy, along with seven others, as suspects in an alleged extortion case related to foreign national (WNA) residence permits and/or the receipt of gratifications within the Directorate General of Immigration for the 2022-2026 period.
The other seven suspects include the Acting Director General of Immigration (2024-2025), Saffar Muhammad Godam; Director of Residence Permits, Jaya Saputra; Sub-directorate Heads Bagus Bramantyo and Tessar Bayu Setyaji; former Heads of Immigration Offices Ronald Arman Abdullah (Central Jakarta 2024-2025) and Juniadi Sri Priambulations (West Jakarta 2025-2026); ITAS Status Change Team Leader Juniadi Sri Priambudi; and staff member Gusti Bernardiansyah.
The suspects have been detained for an initial 20-day period, effective from 4 June to 23 June 2026, at the KPK detention centre. They are accused of violating Article 12 letter e and/or Article 12B of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes, in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code (KUHP).
The alleged extortion and bribery case within the Directorate General of Immigration was uncovered by the KPK through a sting operation (OTT) conducted in Jakarta, West Java, and Bali on 2-3 June 2026.