Profile of the Murder Victim in Jatibening, Bekasi: Retired JICT Employee

Ermanto Usman, 65, died after being killed by an unknown assailant inside his home in Jatibening, Bekasi City, West Java. He was a retired employee of the Jakarta International Container Terminal (JICT) and had a long record as a port workers’ activist.

Rieke Diah Pitaloka, a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives Commission XIII and the chairwoman of the Confederation of Indonesian Port Workers (KRPI), said that Ermanto was not simply a retiree; he was one of the key figures in the effort to uncover alleged large-scale corruption in the port sector several years ago.

“Mr Ermanto was formerly a JICT employee who was laid off, in connection with a case of alleged corruption involving RJ Lino. A Pansus was then formed in the DPR, and I, as chair of the Pelindo Pansus, oversaw losses to the state amounting to trillions of rupiah and, in terms of future values, perhaps tens of trillions for Indonesia,” Rieke told reporters at Ermanto’s house in Bekasi on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.

Ermanto died after sustaining multiple injuries in an incident in the Jatibening residential area, Bekasi, on Monday 2 March. On the same day his wife Pasmilawati (60) was also injured.

In life, Ermanto was active in the Indonesian Port Workers Federation (Federation of Port Workers of Indonesia, FPPI) under KRPI. Rieke said Ermanto was a fellow fighter who consistently safeguarded the state’s losses in Pelindo, amounting to trillions of rupiah.

Even after leaving JICT, Ermanto’s commitment to anti-corruption did not waver. Rieke revealed that he had recently been trying to reopen old cases that were considered deliberately halted or ‘petieskan’ (watered down/covered up).

“As recently as I am aware, Mr Ermanto continued to campaign for the reopening of cases suspected of being ‘petieskan’. Corruption cases in the port sector that were suspected of being covered up,” she said.

About a month before his dying, Ermanto was seen on a podcast where he again voiced concerns about global bond corruption and the Kalibaru project that harmed the state.

His passing leaves the family in deep sorrow and raises questions. Rieke disclosed that the deceased appeared to sense threats. Since February, he is said to have frequently apologised to his family.

“There was a fairly long chat in which in February his father asked for forgiveness, please forgive me if there is anything; there were indications, I don’t know what those were, but what is clear is that he told his children that if anything happens to him to contact Mrs Rieke,” she said.

Suspicion that this was not ordinary robbery. Rieke highlighted at the crime scene that no valuables were missing, including jewelry either in the room or being worn. She found the case unusual and called for broader and sharper investigations by the police, including the brain behind the alleged murder, and not just the field executor. They also urged prompt lawful action.

Now Ermanto’s wife is reportedly still in critical condition in hospital. Rieke said she planned to seek official protection from the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) for the victim’s family.