Judge Reprimands Former Pertamina Executive for Questioning Ahok About Case Informant

Jakarta – The presiding judge of the Central Jakarta Corruption Court, Suwandi, has reprimanded former Pertamina gas director Hari Karyuliarto during a hearing into allegations of corruption in the procurement of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the Corruption Court, Jakarta, on Monday 2 March 2026.

This followed an incident when Karyuliarto repeatedly questioned former Pertamina commissioner Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, known as Ahok, regarding who had reported the corruption allegations to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Karyuliarto posed the same question twice to Ahok.

“I would like to ask, with regards to the Attorney General’s Office, you have stated that Nicke [former Pertamina director] reported to the Attorney General, and that was not acted upon. My question is, who reported it to the KPK?” asked Karyuliarto.

“That is enough,” said Judge Suwandi.

Unsatisfied with Ahok’s response, Karyuliarto again asked who had reported the case to the Attorney General.

“What about to the Attorney General?” asked Karyuliarto.

In response, Judge Suwandi reprimanded Karyuliarto, stating that the question was not relevant to the case.

“There is no need to investigate who reported this case, there is no need. Even regarding the KPK, there is no need to investigate who reported it. Ask questions that are relevant to your case only. There is no need to investigate who reported this case,” the judge stated firmly.

In this case, former Pertamina gas director Hari Karyuliarto and Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Pertamina’s Gas Directorate Yenny Andayani are accused of approving the procurement of imported LNG from Corpus Christi Liquefaction without adhering to procurement guidelines and issuing a letter of intent without technical and economic justification and analysis.

The KPK suspects the LNG purchase also lacked a back-to-back contract in Indonesia or with any other party, meaning the imported LNG had no guaranteed buyers or users.

“In fact, the imported LNG has never entered Indonesia to this date, and its price is higher than Indonesia’s gas products,” said KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu at the Red and White Building in Jakarta on Thursday 31 July 2025.

As a result, the state is believed to have suffered losses of approximately USD 113.8 million.