Former Pertamina Director Calls 6.5-Year Prison Demand Excessively Harsh

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Hari Karyuliarto, Director of Gas at PT Pertamina (Persero) from 2012-2014, has stated that the demand for 6 years and 6 months in prison in the alleged corruption case involving liquefied natural gas (LNG) against him is excessively harsh. He described the severity of the demand, particularly for someone who did not commit any wrongdoing, did not cause losses to the state, and even left a legacy in the form of LNG contracts that continue to generate profits for Pertamina to this day. “The LNG contracts up to the end of December 2035 have already profited US$97.6 million,” Hari said when met after the verdict reading session at the Corruption Court at the Central Jakarta District Court on Monday. Because the demand feels so heavy, Hari said he will submit a defence note, or plea, in the next trial session. Nevertheless, he does not wish to make the criminal demand a personal issue with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). Hari said he has forgiven what the KPK has done, both by investigators and public prosecutors (JPU), because from their statements, everything was done under orders from superiors. “They do not know what they are doing. In line with my faith, as taught by Christ, I must love them and pray for those who persecute me,” he stated. Hari is being demanded a prison sentence of 6 years and 6 months in the alleged corruption case of procuring LNG from Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC (CCL) for Pertamina and related institutions from 2011-2021. In addition to Hari, Yenni Andayani, Vice President of Strategic Planning Business Development at Pertamina’s Gas Directorate from 2012-2013, is being demanded a prison sentence of 5 years and 6 months in the same case. In addition to body penalties, Hari and Yenni are also demanded to be fined Rp200 million each, with the stipulation that if not paid, it will be replaced (subsidiarity) with imprisonment for 80 days. In that case, the two defendants are alleged to have caused losses to state finances amounting to US$113.84 million or equivalent to Rp1.77 trillion. The state losses are alleged to have occurred due to unlawful acts that enriched Pertamina’s President Director from 2009-2014, Galaila Karen Kardinah alias Karen Agustiawan, by Rp1.09 billion and US$104,016, as well as enriching CCL by US$113.84 million. The unlawful acts committed by the two defendants, namely Hari is alleged to have failed to prepare guidelines for the LNG procurement process from international sources and still proceeded with the LNG procurement from Cheniere Energy Inc. Meanwhile, Yenni proposed to Hari to sign the Circular Board of Directors Meeting Minutes regarding the decision on signing the LNG Train 1 and Train 2 sales and purchase agreement from CCL without supporting economic studies, risk assessments and mitigations in the CCL LNG procurement process, and without a CCL LNG buyer bound by an agreement. Thus, the acts of the two defendants are regulated and threatened with criminal penalties under Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law No. 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) first jo. Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.