Wife of Former Lampung Governor Arinal Speaks Out on Suspect Designation

The wife of former Lampung Governor Arinal Djunaidi, Riana Sari, has spoken out regarding her husband’s status as a suspect in an alleged corruption case and his detention by the Lampung Attorney General’s Office.

Arinal, who served as Governor of Lampung from 2019 to 2024, is implicated in an alleged corruption involving an oil and gas commission worth US$17.2 million or Rp271 billion. Related to the investigation, he has been detained by prosecutors at Way Huie Detention Centre since Tuesday evening (28/4).

Riana, along with her children and daughter-in-law, visited the Special Criminal Division building of the Lampung Attorney General’s Office. They arrived before her husband, Arinal, was officially named a suspect and detained by the investigative team from the Lampung Attorney General’s Special Criminal Division.

Riana is convinced that her husband is not guilty. She even claimed that not a single rupiah from the Participating Interest (PI) funds of PT Lampung Energi Berjaya (PT LEB) entered her husband’s personal pocket.

“We are here (at the Lampung Attorney General’s Office) with the children to provide support for father. I and the children believe that father is not guilty, and not a single rupiah of PI money entered father’s personal pocket,” Riana stated to the media at the Lampung Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday evening.

Despite facing a serious issue with her husband, Riana stated that her husband’s condition is good. She encouraged her husband to stay strong in facing the legal process.

“Our message is for father to stay healthy, strong, and not to worry about us (the family),” she said.

She emphasised that her presence with the children and daughter-in-law at the Lampung Attorney General’s Office is a form of full support for her husband.

She also dismissed the notion that the family feels ashamed about the ongoing case.

“We are here precisely because we are not ashamed; father did not commit corruption, so we do not bow our heads. No matter how long it takes, I will continue to support and defend him,” she asserted.

She mentioned that the family is prepared to go through the trial stages and will leave the defence to the legal advisory team.

“I already told father not to be afraid; we will face the trial later,” she explained.

Wait for Legal Proof

Riana asked the public and media to wait for legal proof and not get caught up in unbalanced news framing.

According to her, the alleged state loss of Rp271 billion needs to be explained proportionately to avoid creating misconceptions among the public.

“Believe me, it will be proven in the trial. For media friends, please make news, but it must be balanced. What is reported must be accountable,” she said.

Additionally, Riana asked law enforcement authorities to investigate the PT LEB corruption case thoroughly and transparently, including the company’s initial capital injection. She hopes that no party is overlooked in the legal examination related to the case.

“If you really want it to be clear, investigate everything, including the initial capital injection of Rp10 billion. Do not cover anything up or be selective, because all citizens have equal rights before the law,” she said.

Previously, the special criminal investigation team (Pidsus) of the Lampung Attorney General’s Office officially detained former Lampung Governor Arinal Djunaidi at Way Huie Detention Centre on Tuesday evening (28/4).

Arinal was named a suspect in the case of alleged corruption involving an oil and gas commission worth US$17.2 million or Rp271 billion. The funds represent a 10 per cent Participating Interest (PI) commission at PT Lampung Energi Berjaya (LEB) from Pertamina Hulu Energi Offshore South East Sumatera (PHE OSES) for 2019-2024.

Explanation from Lampung Attorney General’s Office

This law enforcement action marks a new chapter in the investigation of the alleged corruption flow of oil and gas commission funds in the Land of Ruwa Jurai.

Arinal had previously skipped two summons from investigators before finally attending the summons from the Lampung Attorney General’s Special Criminal Division investigators on Tuesday afternoon.

After undergoing a marathon examination until Tuesday evening, around 10:25 PM WIB, Arinal emerged from the Special Criminal Division building of the Lampung Attorney General’s Office wearing a mask and a pink detainee vest. He was seen being escorted by officers from the Attorney General’s Office and security.

Arinal, whose hands were handcuffed with iron, was led by officers to the Attorney General’s Office detention vehicle.

The Head of the High Prosecutor’s Office (Kajati) of Lampung, Danang Suryo Wibowo, stated that Arinal’s naming as a suspect was carried out after the investigative team conducted a series of witness examinations and in-depth case reviews.

Based on the results of that exposure, he said, the investigating prosecutors found two valid pieces of evidence to implicate ARD in the vortex of the alleged corruption of the oil and gas commission sharing funds.

“The results of the examination and case review found two sufficient pieces of evidence related to the alleged criminal act of corruption involving Mr ARD,” Danang said in his statement yesterday.

“For the sake of the investigation, ARD is detained at the Class I Detention Centre in Bandar Lampung at Way Huie. Detention for the next 20 days, effective from today 28 April until 17 May 2026,” he added.

This alleged corruption case relates to the management of 10 per cent Participating Interest (PI) funds worth US$17.2 million or Rp271 billion in the Offshore South East Sumatera area.

The PI funds represent the region’s rights in oil and gas working area management, which should be utilised for regional development interests.

In this case, investigators are charging Arinal with layered articles: Article 603 of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended and supplemented by Law No. 20 of 2001 on Amendments to Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of the Criminal Code. Subsidiarily, Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999.

Danang assured that the entire investigative team is working with integrity in accordance with applicable legal provisions in handling the alleged corruption case.

CNNIndonesia.com has not yet obtained an official statement from PT PHE or PT LEB regarding the latest developments in the investigation of the case by the Lampung Attorney General’s Office.