Terra Drone boss sentenced to one year and four months in prison as staff rally

A number of PT Terra Drone Indonesia employees offered moral support to Chief Executive Michael Wisnu Wardhana after he was sentenced to one year and four months in prison in the case of a fire at the company’s office that killed 22 staff. The support was conveyed after the verdict hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court, Kemayoran, on Thursday 21 May 2026. A Kompas.com observer in the courtroom saw Michael bowing after the panel of judges read the verdict against him. His legal team then approached and offered support. Shortly thereafter, officers fitted Michael with a red prison uniform. ‘Mr Mike (Michael) stay strong, please. Take care of your health, sir,’ said one of the PT Terra Drone Indonesia employees who attended the hearing. Michael did not respond and immediately finished putting on the prison uniform. As Michael left the courtroom through the front side door, a female employee again offered support. ‘Take care of your health, Mr Michael,’ the employee said. However, Michael’s lawyer, Stella M Masangi, said the tears were not because of disappointment with the prison sentence. ‘No. Actually, it was more about seeing all the employees who were present. It was very touching,’ said Stella. Another lawyer, Triana Seroja Dewi, said about 100 employees of PT Terra Drone Indonesia attended the verdict reading to provide moral support to Michael. She said the employees arrived from Terra Drone’s offices in Bandung, West Java, and Jakarta. ‘Terra Drone employees are giving Mr Mike moral support. That is what made Mr Mike emotional,’ Triana said. In addition, she said, Michael is also thinking about the fate of hundreds of the company’s employees going forward.