South Jakarta District Court Rejects Silmy Karim's Pre-trial Motion
The South Jakarta District Court has rejected all pre-trial motions filed by the former Deputy Minister of Immigration and Correctional Services for the 2025-2026 period, Silmy Karim, who is a suspect in an alleged extortion case involving foreign national (WNA) stay permits and/or the receipt of gratifications between 2022 and 2026.
Sole Judge Yuliana ruled that the actions taken by investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) regarding the forced search and seizure of Silmy’s assets met all legal requirements. “Ruling: In the merits of the case: 1. Rejects the Pre-trial motion filed by the Petitioner in its entirety,” the judge stated while reading the verdict at the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday (23/9).
In the considerations, the judge stated that the search conducted by investigators was accompanied by a search warrant, official reports, and notification to the KPK Supervisory Board. Investigators had also submitted a request for search approval to the Chief of the District Court.
Silmy had previously challenged the search approval, which was issued 27 days after the request was submitted. According to Silmy, this approval exceeded the timeframe stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), which requires action within 2 x 24 hours after a search is conducted.
However, the judge argued that the scope of a pre-trial examination only covers the actions of investigators or prosecutors and does not extend to the actions of the party providing the approval, in this case, the Chief of the District Court. “Therefore, with the submission of the search approval request, the investigators are deemed to have fulfilled their obligations as determined by Law,” the judge noted.
Factually, the judge added that the search approval was ultimately issued by the Chief of the District Court, rendering the search action valid. In addition to the search, Silmy also contested the seizure of several assets on 3 and 5 June 2026, alleging that investigators failed to present a seizure permit from the Chief of the District Court.
The judge clarified that the seizure conducted by investigators was based on a warrant, documented in official reports, and reported to the KPK Supervisory Board. “Thus, formally, the seizure is valid,” the judge stated in the considerations. The judge also ordered the Petitioner to pay court costs, which were assessed at nil.
Silmy Karim and seven others are being legally processed by the KPK as suspects in the alleged extortion of foreign national stay permits and/or the receipt of gratifications between 2022 and 2026. The other suspects include the Acting Director General of Immigration for the 2024-2025 period, Saffar Muhammad Godam; the Director of Stay Permits, Jaya Saputra; Sub-directorate officials Bagus Bramantyo and Tessar Bayting Setyaji; the Head of the Central Jakarta Immigration Office for 2024-2025 and West Jakarta Immigration Office for 2025-2026, Ronald Arman Abdullah; the Head of the Limited Stay Permit (ITAS) Status Change Team, Juniadi Sri Priambudi; and Stay Permit Sub-directorate Staff, Gusti Bernardiansyah. All suspects are currently detained at the KPK Detention Centre.
The suspects are charged with violating Article 12 letter e and/or Article 12B of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 regarding the Criminal Code (KUHP). The case was uncovered by the KPK through a sting operation (OTT) on 2-3 June 2026. During the operation, the KPK arrested 18 individuals, one of whom, Silmy Karim, surrendered himself. The KPK also secured evidence allegedly related to the corruption, valued at a total of Rp17.5 billion, including 7 cars, 15 motorcycles, 11 bicycles, bank balances, crypto assets, and various foreign currencies. To date, the KPK has seized assets valued at approximately Rp150 billion.