Former Ombudsman Chair Hery Susanto Sentenced to 5 Years in Nickel Mining Bribery Case

JAKARTA — The Central Jakarta Corruption Court (Tipikor) has sentenced former Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia chair Hery Susanto to five years in prison in a bribery case linked to nickel mining governance. Presiding judge Dwi Elyarahma Sulistyowati read the verdict on Thursday, 5 November 2026.

“Sentencing the defendant Hery Susanto to five years in prison,” Dwi said as she read the ruling, as quoted by Kontan.

Fine and Restitution

In addition to prison, Hery was fined Rp300 million, or 100 days in detention in lieu. He must also pay Rp3.875 billion in restitution. The judges counted Hery’s house in Pulo Gebang, East Jakarta, toward that payment.

If the restitution is not paid within one month after the verdict becomes final, his assets may be seized and auctioned. If they are insufficient, he will serve an additional three years in prison.

Bribes to Influence Ombudsman Findings

The judges ruled that Hery was proven to have received bribes in cash and goods worth about Rp4.8 billion in total. The bribes were meant to influence the Ombudsman’s examination of nickel mining governance.

According to the court, the bribes aimed to have the Ombudsman declare as maladministration the Environment and Forestry Ministry’s imposition of non-tax state revenue (PNBP) obligations for forest-area use on PT Toshida Indonesia and PT Dinamika Sejahtera Mandiri. They were also linked to efforts to have the rejection of upgrades from exploration to production mining permits (IUP) for PT Mitra Kumala Energi and PT Gold Nala Raya declared maladministration.

Lighter Than the Prosecution’s Demand

The five-year sentence is lighter than prosecutors’ demand of five years and six months in prison, a Rp300 million fine and restitution of more than Rp4 billion.

Summarized from Kontan, Bisnis.com, VIVA and Metrotvnews (in Indonesian).