Surya Darmadi Requests Transfer from Nusakambangan: I Am Stressed

Convicted in a corruption case involving the seizure of forest land, Surya Darmadi has requested a transfer from Nusakambangan Prison in Cilacap, Central Java. Surya claimed he cannot sleep and is stressed at Nusakambangan Prison.

This was stated by Surya Darmadi during the trial of the corruption case involving the defendant corporation PT Duta Palma Group at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Friday (10/4/2026). Surya questioned why only his company was being prosecuted in the matter.

“Your Honour, my health condition is very serious. Every morning at 2 a.m. I wake up, I am stressed, I cannot sleep. Why am I at Nusakambangan today? Why are thousands of companies only mine being prosecuted, the others not? If I have a severe heart attack, I will not last long, Your Honour, if I stay at Nusakambangan. Here, medical care, food, everything, it takes time to respond. In the near future, I will release my biography, Your Honour. Thank you, Your Honour,” said Surya Darmadi virtually from Nusakambangan Prison.

Surya Darmadi apologised to the Attorney General’s Office (Kejagung). He said his assets have already been seized and he has been impoverished.

“I apologise to the Attorney General’s Office, I am sorry if I have done wrong. My assets have been seized, I have been impoverished, is that not enough, move me to Nusakambangan,” he said.

Then, Surya’s lawyer provided additional responses. He mentioned that Surya had entrusted a letter regarding his health condition and detention due to his age of 74 years.

“There is an addition, regarding what Mr Surya Darmadi said verbally. He also entrusted a letter through us regarding a statement and request related to his health condition and detention. Perhaps this is the umpteenth request that personally, in terms of age, he is over 70 years old,” said Surya’s lawyer.

“74 years,” interjected Surya.

Surya’s lawyer said his client suffers from heart disease. According to him, the facilities at Nusakambangan Prison are not adequate enough for an elderly person with a serious illness.

“He suffers from heart disease and uses a pacemaker, already fitted with the device. That is very sensitive if the battery dies, perhaps he would be like that too. Then, other humanitarian aspects, the facilities at Nusakambangan are not quite adequate for someone who is elderly and ill,” he said.

Surya’s lawyer requested that his client’s rights be fulfilled. He also expressed objections to the planned execution of the seizure of the Menara Palma Building.

“Furthermore, this is regarding the assets that are being executed by the Attorney General’s Office, namely the Menara Palma Building, which is owned by or in the name of PT Wana Mitra Permai, which has never been a defendant, has never been decided by a court with final legal force in any case, civil, criminal, or corruption crime,” said Surya’s lawyer.

“However, the Menara Palma Building which has been renamed Gedung Agrinas Palma Nusantara, documents are being requested and execution is being carried out on it. There is a letter from him and his directors through us,” he added.

Surya then commented on his lawyer’s statement. Surya said he had never found a custody letter from the Attorney General’s Office regarding the building.

“Your Honour, our building has been taken over by Agrinas because there is a custody from the Attorney General’s Office. But we requested the custody letter, there is none, we went to the Attorney General’s Office to request the custody letter, there is none. So in this country, there is no legal certainty,” said Surya Darmadi.

The chief judge, Purwanto S Abdullah, then responded. He said Surya is at Nusakambangan Prison because he is serving a sentence from a previous case.

“Mr Surya and the advocate, regarding this request, in this case the panel is trying the corporation case. Perhaps Mr Surya was placed at Nusakambangan in the capacity of serving a sentence,” said Purwanto.

“So the panel of judges has never issued a detention order or anything against Mr Surya, but previously Mr Surya was requested to be present at the trial for the purpose of examination in the corporation case,” he added.

Surya Darmadi said this corporation case is a repetition of the previous case, namely the one decided by the Supreme Court (MA) number 4950/K.Pid.Sus/2023. Surya considered this corporation case as nebis in idem.

“Your Honour, I know that this is nebis in idem, already decided by the Supreme Court, first the individual, now the corporation. Next the grandchildren. Sorry,” said Surya Darmadi.

The judge immediately responded to Surya and asked him to coordinate with the Directorate General of Corrections (Ditjen Pas) regarding detention. Surya said there is intervention to Ditjen Pas so he is not transferred from Nusakambangan.

“So regarding detention, perhaps coordinate with the Attorney General’s Office or Dirjen Pas,” said the judge.

“Dirjen Pas always wants to help but says there is intervention so he doesn’t dare,” interjected Surya.

“That is outside the panel, but the panel only wants this case to be resolved quickly,” said the judge.

Surya asked the panel of judges to provide input to Ditjen Pas regarding his health condition so that they would consider transferring him from Nusakambangan. The panel of judges said they would try.

“Can’t the panel give input to Impas about my condition like this, Your Honour?” asked Surya.

“We will try later, but we have limitations, Mr Surya,” replied the judge.

“Give input. Thank you, Your Honour, I apologise,” said Surya.

“Alright, Mr Surya, I hope you stay healthy,” said the judge.

Prosecution

Previously, the corporation PT Duta Palma Group was charged with causing losses to the state finances of Rp 4.79 trillion and USD 7.88 million related to alleged corruption and money laundering crimes (TPPU) in illegal palm oil plantation business activities in Indragiri Hulu Regency, Riau. This was done in the period 2004-2022.

“Causing losses to state finances or the national economy, namely losses to state finances amounting to Rp 4,798,706,951,640.00 and USD 7,885,857.36 or at least that amount