Kerry: Riza Chalid's involvement serves as guarantee for TBBM acquisition at bank's request

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza, son of the suspect Riza Chalid, revealed that the use of his father’s name as a personal guarantee in the credit application for acquiring a fuel terminal (TBBM) was a request from the bank.

“It was a request from Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI). Because they asked, I brought them to meet my father,” Kerry stated during his testimony as a star witness at the corruption trial at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.

When meeting his father, Kerry, who is the beneficial owner of PT Navigator Khatulistiwa, admitted to bringing along a notary and representatives from BRI.

Although he initially did not explain in detail, he said his father was already aware of the fuel terminal acquisition plan and the cooperation offer to lease the Merak Fuel Terminal to PT Pertamina (Persero) when Riza’s name was used as the guarantee.

“I gave a brief explanation, and he (Riza Chalid) replied, ‘Insyaallah, it will go smoothly’,” he revealed.

Kerry is serving as a star witness (witness and defendant) in the alleged corruption case involving the governance of crude oil and refinery products during the 2013-2024 period, which implicates two defendants: the President Director of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga for 2021-2023, Alfian Nasution, and the Director of Marketing and Trading at Pertamina for 2012-2014, Hanung Budya Yuktyanta.

The three stages in question involve the procurement of fuel terminal leasing by Pertamina, the provision of JBKP RON 90 compensation by the government to Pertamina Patra Niaga in 2022 and 2023, and the sale of non-subsidised diesel to PT PPN in 2020-2021.

For their actions, the two defendants face penalties under Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended and supplemented by Law No. 20 of 2001 jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code.

Meanwhile, Kerry himself has been sentenced to 15 years in prison, a fine of Rp1 billion subsidiary 190 days in prison, and to pay restitution of Rp2.9 trillion subsidiary 5 years in prison, related to the same case.