Justice Collaborator Status Denied, AGO Unfazed by Sony Sonjaya's Reluctance to Disclose Further

The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has emphasised that it is not worried if suspect Sony Sonjaya (SS) becomes reluctant to provide extensive testimony or refuses to cooperate after his application to become a justice collaborator (JC) was rejected. The investigation team has assured that the probe into the alleged corruption in the governance of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme does not depend on a single statement.

The Director of Investigation at the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes (Dirdik Jampidsus), Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, explained that the legal evidentiary construct being built relies on the strength of various types of evidence. “We have a lot of evidence, including witness statements, electronic evidence, documentary evidence, and expert testimony,” Syarief stated at the AGO Round Building in Jakarta on Tuesday (23/6/2026).

This affirmation was made in response to concerns about the potential silence of the former Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). Before his JC status was denied, Sony Sonjaya frequently leaked various pieces of information and disclosures to the media regarding a number of prominent figures suspected of being implicated in the mismanagement of the MBG budget.

Syarief underscored that determining a person’s legal status, including efforts to expand the case towards broader actors, is conducted through a comprehensive evidence review process, not based on opinion or a unilateral admission from a suspect. “We do not depend on the testimony of just one person. We designate a suspect or open this case further based on the evidence we continue to seek, which is still ongoing,” he said.

Previously, Sony Sonjaya, who is a suspect in the alleged corruption case of the Free Nutritious Meals programme, formally applied to become a cooperating witness or justice collaborator. This was confirmed directly by Sony’s legal counsel, Krisna Murti. Krisna stated that his client had submitted a number of names involved in the MBG corruption. During an examination on Thursday (18/6), the number of names submitted by his client to investigators increased from 26 figures to 41. Krisna explained the addition was due to individuals requesting allocations of Nutritional Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) points for parties affiliated with them.