Kerry Mounts Defence, Claims No Evidence of Orders or Intervention in Crude Oil Case
Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza, son of fugitive Riza Chalid, delivered his defence plea in the trial for the crude oil management corruption case. In his plea, Kerry stated that there was no order or intervention carried out by him in the matter.
During the defence hearing held at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday (20 February 2026), Kerry said he initially had no knowledge of the case ensnaring him until he was named a suspect. He said it was only a week before the indictment hearing that he fully understood the case against him after reading the prosecution's indictment.
"A week before the trial began, I received an indictment document nearly 200 pages thick. I read it carefully, page by page, and that was when I was truly shocked," Kerry said.
"The narrative that had been circulating in the public sphere — that I blended fuel and caused state losses of up to Rp 193.7 trillion — was not reflected in the substance of the indictment against me," he continued.
He explained that the indictment contained two alleged actions that drew him into the case. First, he was accused of asking co-defendant Gading Ramadhan Joedo (GRJ), a Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim and President Director of PT Orbit Terminal Merak, to send a letter of offer to Pertamina.
Second, he said, he was implicated for attending a meeting with Bank Mandiri alongside co-defendant Yoki Firnandi (YF), former President Director of PT Pertamina International Shipping.
Kerry then stated that throughout the trial proceedings from 13 October 2025 to 9 February 2026, no evidence of orders or intervention related to his role was presented. He also claimed that no evidence of money flowing to him was produced during the trial.
"Your Honours, throughout the entire trial from 13 October 2025 to 9 February 2026, there was no proven order from me, no proven intervention, no proven flow of funds, and no proven criminal intent," Kerry said.
He went on to assert that the actions attributed to him actually delivered tangible economic benefits to Pertamina.
"If someone truly caused state losses, there would surely be evidence of orders, evidence of fund flows, evidence of criminal intent, and a clear causal relationship," he said.
"In this case, none of those elements were ever proven. Therefore, legally, the element of unlawful conduct is not fulfilled, the element of self-enrichment is not proven, and the element of state losses cannot be established lawfully and convincingly. On the contrary, the trial facts demonstrate contributions to efficiency and the strengthening of national energy resilience," he added.
In addition to Kerry, five other defendants — Sani Dinar Saifuddin (SDS), former Director of Feedstock and Product Optimisation at PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional; Yoki Firnandi (YF), former President Director of PT Pertamina International Shipping; Agus Purwono (AP), former VP of Feedstock Management at PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional; Dimas Werhaspati (DW), Commissioner of PT Navigator Khatulistiwa and Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim; and Gading Ramadhan Joedo (GRJ), Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim and President Director of PT Orbit Terminal Merak — also delivered their defence pleas at the hearing.
**Kerry Faces 18-Year Prison Demand**
Previously, Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza was demanded to serve 18 years in prison. Prosecutors declared Kerry guilty in the alleged crude oil management corruption case.
"The Court declares Defendant Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza to have been proven lawfully and convincingly guilty of committing the criminal act of corruption carried out jointly," said the prosecutor whilst reading the sentencing demand at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday (13 February).
"The Court sentences Defendant Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza to a prison term of 18 years," the prosecutor continued.
Prosecutors demanded Kerry pay a fine of Rp 1 billion, with a subsidiary of 190 days' imprisonment. Additionally, Kerry was demanded to pay restitution of Rp 13,405,420,003,854 (Rp 13.4 trillion).
"The defendant is sentenced to pay restitution of Rp 13,405,420,003,854, comprising Rp 2,905,420,003,854 for state financial losses and Rp 10.5 trillion for losses to the state economy," said the prosecutor.
The prosecutor stated that Kerry's assets could be seized and auctioned to cover the restitution. However, should the assets prove insufficient, the shortfall would be substituted with 10 years' imprisonment.
"Should the defendant no longer possess sufficient assets to pay the restitution, the defendant shall be sentenced to an additional 10 years' imprisonment," said the prosecutor.
The prosecution stated that Kerry's actions were contrary to the government's programme for clean governance free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism. Prosecutors said Kerry's conduct had caused enormous losses to both state finances and the national economy.
Furthermore, prosecutors noted that Kerry showed no remorse or admission of guilt. The sole mitigating factor cited was that he had no prior criminal record.
Prosecutors maintained that Kerry Adrianto was guilty of violating Article 603 in conjunction with Article 20 letter C of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 18 of the Anti-Corruption Law.
**The Indictment**
Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza was indicted for involvement in alleged corruption in oil management that caused state losses reaching Rp 285 trillion. Kerry is known to be the son of M Riza Chalid, one of the suspects in the case whose whereabouts remain unknown.
According to the indictment, the alleged corruption in crude oil management caused state losses of Rp 285 trillion. Two matters were identified as the core issues: the importation of refinery products or fuel, and the sale of non-subsidised diesel.
During the defence hearing held at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday (20 February 2026), Kerry said he initially had no knowledge of the case ensnaring him until he was named a suspect. He said it was only a week before the indictment hearing that he fully understood the case against him after reading the prosecution's indictment.
"A week before the trial began, I received an indictment document nearly 200 pages thick. I read it carefully, page by page, and that was when I was truly shocked," Kerry said.
"The narrative that had been circulating in the public sphere — that I blended fuel and caused state losses of up to Rp 193.7 trillion — was not reflected in the substance of the indictment against me," he continued.
He explained that the indictment contained two alleged actions that drew him into the case. First, he was accused of asking co-defendant Gading Ramadhan Joedo (GRJ), a Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim and President Director of PT Orbit Terminal Merak, to send a letter of offer to Pertamina.
Second, he said, he was implicated for attending a meeting with Bank Mandiri alongside co-defendant Yoki Firnandi (YF), former President Director of PT Pertamina International Shipping.
Kerry then stated that throughout the trial proceedings from 13 October 2025 to 9 February 2026, no evidence of orders or intervention related to his role was presented. He also claimed that no evidence of money flowing to him was produced during the trial.
"Your Honours, throughout the entire trial from 13 October 2025 to 9 February 2026, there was no proven order from me, no proven intervention, no proven flow of funds, and no proven criminal intent," Kerry said.
He went on to assert that the actions attributed to him actually delivered tangible economic benefits to Pertamina.
"If someone truly caused state losses, there would surely be evidence of orders, evidence of fund flows, evidence of criminal intent, and a clear causal relationship," he said.
"In this case, none of those elements were ever proven. Therefore, legally, the element of unlawful conduct is not fulfilled, the element of self-enrichment is not proven, and the element of state losses cannot be established lawfully and convincingly. On the contrary, the trial facts demonstrate contributions to efficiency and the strengthening of national energy resilience," he added.
In addition to Kerry, five other defendants — Sani Dinar Saifuddin (SDS), former Director of Feedstock and Product Optimisation at PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional; Yoki Firnandi (YF), former President Director of PT Pertamina International Shipping; Agus Purwono (AP), former VP of Feedstock Management at PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional; Dimas Werhaspati (DW), Commissioner of PT Navigator Khatulistiwa and Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim; and Gading Ramadhan Joedo (GRJ), Commissioner of PT Jenggala Maritim and President Director of PT Orbit Terminal Merak — also delivered their defence pleas at the hearing.
**Kerry Faces 18-Year Prison Demand**
Previously, Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza was demanded to serve 18 years in prison. Prosecutors declared Kerry guilty in the alleged crude oil management corruption case.
"The Court declares Defendant Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza to have been proven lawfully and convincingly guilty of committing the criminal act of corruption carried out jointly," said the prosecutor whilst reading the sentencing demand at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday (13 February).
"The Court sentences Defendant Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza to a prison term of 18 years," the prosecutor continued.
Prosecutors demanded Kerry pay a fine of Rp 1 billion, with a subsidiary of 190 days' imprisonment. Additionally, Kerry was demanded to pay restitution of Rp 13,405,420,003,854 (Rp 13.4 trillion).
"The defendant is sentenced to pay restitution of Rp 13,405,420,003,854, comprising Rp 2,905,420,003,854 for state financial losses and Rp 10.5 trillion for losses to the state economy," said the prosecutor.
The prosecutor stated that Kerry's assets could be seized and auctioned to cover the restitution. However, should the assets prove insufficient, the shortfall would be substituted with 10 years' imprisonment.
"Should the defendant no longer possess sufficient assets to pay the restitution, the defendant shall be sentenced to an additional 10 years' imprisonment," said the prosecutor.
The prosecution stated that Kerry's actions were contrary to the government's programme for clean governance free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism. Prosecutors said Kerry's conduct had caused enormous losses to both state finances and the national economy.
Furthermore, prosecutors noted that Kerry showed no remorse or admission of guilt. The sole mitigating factor cited was that he had no prior criminal record.
Prosecutors maintained that Kerry Adrianto was guilty of violating Article 603 in conjunction with Article 20 letter C of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Article 18 of the Anti-Corruption Law.
**The Indictment**
Muhamad Kerry Adrianto Riza was indicted for involvement in alleged corruption in oil management that caused state losses reaching Rp 285 trillion. Kerry is known to be the son of M Riza Chalid, one of the suspects in the case whose whereabouts remain unknown.
According to the indictment, the alleged corruption in crude oil management caused state losses of Rp 285 trillion. Two matters were identified as the core issues: the importation of refinery products or fuel, and the sale of non-subsidised diesel.