Noel Denies Being the Main Perpetrator in K3 Permit Extortion Case at Ministry of Manpower

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Former Deputy Minister of Manpower (Wamenaker) Immanuel Ebenezer alias Noel has denied that he is the main perpetrator in the alleged corruption case involving the extortion of occupational safety and health (K3) certification processing.

“How could it be possible that before Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan became Wamenaker, he was positioned as the intellectual actor and main perpetrator of the corruption in the aforementioned case,” stated Noel’s lawyer, Dede Agung Wardhana, while reading the opening statement at the trial in the Jakarta Corruption Court on Wednesday (29/4/2026).

Dede argued that the extortion practices at the core of this case occurred long before his client was appointed as deputy minister.

Meanwhile, Noel was inaugurated as Wamenaker on 22 October 2024.

Noel’s camp described this case as ‘a thief shouting thief’.

According to them, there is a main perpetrator in this case who has not been uncovered by the KPK.

“There is a main perpetrator who orchestrated, enjoyed, and scapegoated many parties, acting as a thief shouting thief who is instead hidden in the indictment of the aforementioned case,” added Dede.

From ordering the establishment of companies, opening nominee accounts, arranging the distribution of extortion proceeds, to enjoying the largest share of this case.

“Scapegoating other parties as if he is the cleanest and positioning himself as a victim, playing the victim, possessing more than one identity document which violates the law,” continued Dede.

Noel’s camp emphasised that they will prove the arguments presented in the defence process later.

Noel along with several Manpower Ministry officials are accused of receiving Rp 6.5 billion from extorting applicants for K3 certificates and licences.

“That the defendant Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan together with Fahrurozi, Hery Sutanto, Subhan, Gerry Aditya Herwanto Putra, Irvian Bobby Mahendro, Sekarsari Kartika Putri, Anitasari Kusumawati, Supriadi, Miki Mahfud, and Temurila have forced the K3 Certification and Licence Applicants to give money in a total amount of Rp 6,522,360,000 or at least around that amount,” stated the prosecutor when reading the indictment on 19 January 2026.

The prosecutor explained that this extortion has been ongoing since 2021 through the modus operandi of inflating the cost of issuing K3 certificates.