Indonesia's Ombudsman Chief Named Suspect in Nickel Corruption Case
Translator
Antara
Editor
Bardjan
Kamis, 16 April 2026 16:13 WIB
Ombudsman Chief Hery Susanto leaves the Attorney General's Office's Round Building wearing a detainee vest in Jakarta on April 16, 2026. The Attorney General's Office (AGO) has officially named Hery as a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving nickel mining governance in Southeast Sulawesi from 2013 to 2025. He is accused of receiving a Rp1.5 billion bribe from PT TSHI in exchange for arranging a recommendation letter to correct the calculation of non-tax state revenue (PNBP). Tempo/Jihan Ristiyanti
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has named Hery Susanto, the Chair of the Indonesian Ombudsman for the 2026–2031 term, as a suspect in an alleged corruption case linked to nickel mining governance between 2013 and 2025.
Director of Investigations at the Junior Attorney General for Special Crimes Office, Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, said the alleged offense occurred while Hery served as an Ombudsman commissioner for the 2021–2026 term.
“The suspect was named after investigators obtained sufficient evidence through a series of investigative measures, including searches and other procedures,” he said at the AGO headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday.
Syarief said Hery is suspected of receiving money from PT TSHI in exchange for arranging assistance to resolve issues related to the calculation of non-tax state revenue (PNBP).
Following his designation as a suspect, Hery was detained at the Salemba detention facility, South Jakarta District Prosecutor’s Office branch, for the next 20 days.
He was seen leaving the AGO’s special crimes building at around 11:19 AM, wearing a light blue T-shirt and grey trousers. He remained silent as he was escorted by officers into a detention vehicle.
