Noel Ebenezer Denies Requesting Ducati and Rp 1 Billion from Sultan of Manpower Ministry

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Former Deputy Minister of Manpower (Wamenaker) Immanuel Ebenezer, alias Noel, has denied ever requesting a Ducati Scrambler motorcycle from Irvian Bobby Mahendro, Coordinator for Institutional and Personnel Affairs in Occupational Safety and Health at the Ministry of Manpower for 2022-2025. Noel stated that Irvian was the one who first opened the conversation and inquired about his hobby of motorcycling. “You mentioned yesterday, yesterday, witnessed and I am sure it was recorded, (in yesterday’s trial Bobby said) I asked you what your hobby is. As far as I remember, you were the one who asked, ‘Mr Deputy Minister, what is your hobby, Sir? Do you like motorbikes, Sir? I never asked about your hobby,’” Noel said during the trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday (21/4/2026). This question about hobbies is said to have led to Bobby sending a Ducati motorcycle worth around Rp 600 million to Noel’s home. “This is a fact, it’s in the examination report. There are five Ducatis, how many big bikes are there, are those your motorcycles or not?” Noel pressed. Bobby confirmed that his motorcycles were seized by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and that the money to buy them came from non-technical withdrawals from a private entity, namely the Occupational Safety and Health Service Company (PJK3). “Yes, Mr Deputy Minister, as mentioned earlier, it’s impossible to buy a Rp 600 million Ducati motorcycle with my salary,” Bobby said. In addition, Noel also denied ever requesting operational funds worth Rp 1 billion from Bobby. Noel denied ever instructing someone named David to request Rp 1 billion in funds. “I never said that, I swear to God, to my children,” Noel said.