Prosecutors Dismiss Former Deputy BGN Chief's Pre-Trial Motion as Premature
The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung) has submitted written evidence to the judge and affirmed that all legal procedures in naming former Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Lodewyk Pusung, as a suspect in the alleged corruption surrounding the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme have been fulfilled and comply with the rules. Prosecutors consider Lodewyk’s pre-trial application to be unclear and premature.
This was conveyed by Kejagung at a pre-trial evidence hearing held at the South Jakarta District Court on Thursday (30/7/2026). Lodewyk is known to have filed the pre-trial application. The hearing was presided over by single judge Abdul Affandi.
“First, the petitum of the pre-trial application requesting that the investigation order be declared invalid is not an object of pre-trial proceedings. Second, the pre-trial application is unclear and premature,” the prosecutor reading the statement said.
Prosecutors assessed that the actions taken against Lodewyk — from inquiry, questioning, the case exposé, investigation, examination of witnesses and experts, naming as a suspect, and searches, through to detention and the fulfilment of the suspect’s rights — were carried out professionally, objectively, proportionally, and in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations.
“Therefore, the Applicant’s assertion that the Respondent acted without evidence, violated due process of law, or acted arbitrarily is untrue, unfounded, and should be disregarded,” the prosecutor said.
Prosecutors considered Lodewyk’s arguments regarding the unfulfilled elements of the offence, the absence of his authority, the absence of state losses, and objections to the quality of the evidence. These, they said, touch on the merits of the case, which fall outside the scope of pre-trial proceedings.
“The object of pre-trial examination is limited to the fulfilment of the formal requirements for naming a suspect, which in this case have been met through the inquiry, investigation, examination of witnesses and experts, examination of the Applicant as a witness, and at least two valid pieces of evidence,” the prosecutor explained.
For this reason, prosecutors asked the judge to reject the pre-trial application filed by Lodewyk.
“Accordingly, the naming of the Applicant as a suspect was carried out lawfully, professionally, and on legal grounds, so all of the Applicant’s arguments should be rejected,” the prosecutor concluded.
For context, Lodewyk Pusung was named a suspect by the Attorney General’s Office in the alleged corruption case surrounding the governance of the MBG programme. Lodewyk objected and filed a pre-trial challenge against Kejagung’s decision to name him a suspect.
In addition to Lodewyk, Kejagung has named six other suspects in the case. The full list of suspects in the MBG case so far is:
Former Head of BGN Dadan Hindayana
Former Deputy Head of BGN Sony Sonjaya
Former Deputy Head of BGN Lodewyk Pusung
Asep Yusuf Somantri (AYS), a close associate of Sony
Commissioner of PT Yasa Artha Trimanunggal (PT YAT), the BGN’s electric motorcycle supplier, Andri Mulyono (AM)
Chair of the Indonesia Food Security Review (IFSR) Foundation, Glory Harimas Sihombing
Secretary of the Deputy for Promotion and Cooperation at BGN, Lalu Muhammad Iwan (LMI).