Police Brigadier General Named New Suspect in Free Nutritious Meal Programme Corruption Case

Jakarta – Investigators from the Attorney General’s Office have expanded their investigation into alleged corruption in the governance of the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG). An active police officer has now been implicated and officially named a suspect.

The officer is Police Brigadier General Lalu Muhammad Iwan Mahardan, who previously served as Head of the Legal and Public Relations Bureau at the National Nutrition Agency (BGN). He currently holds the position of Secretary of the Deputy for Promotion and Cooperation at BGN.

The designation was announced by the Director of Investigation at the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, after investigators concluded they had gathered sufficient evidence.

“There is one more suspect, namely LMI. He served as Head of the BGN Legal and Public Relations Bureau until March 2025 and is currently the Secretary of the Deputy for Promotion and Cooperation at BGN,” he stated on Thursday, 2 July 2026.

According to investigators, LMI allegedly played a significant role in the procurement scheme for food trays required by the MBG Programme.

Syarief explained that the suspect allegedly instructed two witnesses, identified as YCS and RD, to establish a company. This company was then used to sell food trays to prospective partners of the Nutritional Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG).

The price of the equipment was allegedly determined directly by LMI.

“LMI asked witnesses YCS and RD to set up a company, with the aim of selling food tray equipment to prospective SPPG partners at a price determined by the suspect LMI,” he said.

Furthermore, investigators suspect that a portion of the profits from each food tray sale was channelled to LMI.

However, the Attorney General’s Office has not yet disclosed the value of the profits allegedly received by the one-star police general.

“So, the price included a portion for LMI to ensure the point was approved for the food tray sale,” Syarief stated.

For his alleged actions, LMI has been charged under Article 12 letters a, b, and e of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with the Criminal Code.