PT CNI Returns Rp401 Billion, Attorney General's Office Confirms Legal Proceedings Will Continue

The Attorney General’s Office (Kejagund) has ensured that the corruption case regarding the nickel governance of PT Ceria Nugraha Indotama (CNI) will continue, despite the return of Rp401 billion in funds.

The Head of the Legal Information Centre of the Attorney General’s Office, Anang Supriatna, stated that the case has been upgraded to the investigation stage by the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes.

“Yesterday, it was elevated to the investigation stage regarding the nickel at PT CNI, where investigators have already seized the returned funds of approximately Rp410 billion,” he told reporters on Wednesday (2/8).

Anang explained that the case is currently in the general investigation phase. He emphasised that the restitution of state financial losses does not erase the criminal act.

“The case continues. Clearly, this repayment does not stop the criminal process; it remains ongoing,” he said. However, he noted that the return of the Rp401 billion would be taken into consideration during the subsequent legal process.

Furthermore, Anang confirmed that the case is not related to the National Strategic Projects (PSN) established by the 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo.

“No, it is not (related to PSN). This is due to entering mining opening activities outside, or its export partners being outside the regulations. It is outside of PSN,” he added.

Previously, the Attorney General’s Office revealed allegations of corruption in the nickel governance of PT CNI in Southeast Sulawesi between 2017 and 2020. PT CNI allegedly manipulated nickel grade test result documents to facilitate exports.

The Director of Investigation for the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes, Saiful Bahri Siregar, explained that PT CNI is suspected of not having a Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) while conducting mining operations, yet the company continued to export nickel.

PT CNI is also alleged to have conspired with state officials to manipulate nickel grades to meet the export requirement of above 1.7 per cent.

Additionally, Saiful mentioned that PT CNI allegedly used invalid documents to conduct illegal nickel exports, resulting in losses to state finances.

PT CNI has now surrendered Rp410 billion to the Attorney General’s Office. The funds have been seized and deposited into a state revenue account (RPL) at Bank Mandiri.