Hotman Paris: Sentul House Used by Don Ritto Since 2022, Not Febrie

A house in Sentul, Bogor Regency, has been used by Don Ritto, a private party, since 2022, according to Hotman Paris Hutapea, lawyer for former Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) Febrie Adriansyah.

“The house in Sentul has been used by Don Ritto since 2022. The housekeeping staff and domestic assistants are no longer paid by Mr Febrie,” Hotman said at a press conference at the Jampidsus building of the Attorney General’s Office in Jakarta on Friday.

He explained that the house originally belonged to Febrie’s parents-in-law, who then bequeathed it to their grandchild, Febrie’s child. The ownership certificate had also been transferred to the child’s name long before the PT Asabri case emerged.

“Any minor renovations inside the house since 2022 were carried out under Don Ritto’s management and were not known to Mr Febrie,” he said.

Meanwhile, Don Ritto’s lawyer, Handika Hanggowongso, said his client used the property as an operational office for a foundation active in Islamic outreach and education.

He said the foundation supports around 700 Islamic school students (santri) from Papua and Maluku who are currently studying at a pesantren in Banten.

“We will explain in due course, after all contributing parties have been questioned by Jampidsus investigators, supported by valid and relevant evidence,” he said.

Previously, investigators from the National Police’s Corruption Eradication Corps (Kortastipidkor) seized gold bars, foreign currency and cash worth approximately Rp476 billion from the house.

The National Police have named Febrie a suspect in alleged corruption and money laundering (TPPU) in the handling of the PT Asabri case between 2020 and 2024. Don Ritto has also been named a suspect for alleged money laundering in the same case.

The Attorney General’s Office subsequently issued investigation orders (sprindik) after receiving the transfer of three cases from the National Police as a form of law enforcement synergy. The first, sprindik number 43, covers alleged corruption and money laundering at PT KNI.

The second, sprindik number 44, concerns alleged corruption in coal governance at coal-fired power plants, which is suspected of triggering widespread electricity blackouts.

Finally, sprindik number 45 relates to alleged corruption and money laundering in the handling of the PT Asabri case.