The Attorney General’s Office (Kejaksaan Agung) has taken into custody Yeka Hendra Fatika, a former Commissioner of the Indonesian Ombudsman (Ombudsman RI). Yeka Hendra has been formally named a suspect in connection with the alleged obstruction of investigation and prosecution in a prominent case involving crude palm oil (CPO) and cooking oil export facilities.
Following an intensive examination at the Attorney General’s Office in Jakarta on Monday, May 25, Yeka Hendra was escorted to a detention vehicle. He was observed wearing the distinctive orange vest identifying him as a detainee of the Attorney General’s Office, with his hands handcuffed, underscoring the serious nature of the charges. He is slated for detention for the next 20 days at the Salemba Detention Center, specifically the branch managed by the Attorney General’s Office.
Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, the Director of Investigations for the Deputy Attorney General for Special Crimes (Jampidsus) at the Attorney General’s Office, stated that Yeka Hendra is suspected of deliberately preventing, obstructing, or thwarting the investigation, prosecution, and judicial review against defendants implicated in a corruption case. This significant case pertains to the unlawful provision of export facilities for CPO and its derivatives in 2022.
Specifically, Yeka Hendra is accused of altering the material within the Indonesian Ombudsman’s audit report (LHP). The original report initially focused on the widespread scarcity of cooking oil in the domestic market. However, it was allegedly modified to advocate for the revocation of the Domestic Market Obligation (DMO), a crucial policy designed to ensure sufficient domestic supply, seemingly to favor export interests.
This alleged manipulation is particularly critical because the DMO itself was an integral component of the unlawful actions identified within the corruption case related to the provision of CPO and its derivatives export facilities in 2022. His reported actions effectively undermined the very mechanisms designed to address the issues he was tasked to oversee.
Furthermore, investigators suspect that Yeka Hendra received a significant sum of money from the Wilmar Group, a major entity directly embroiled in the ongoing CPO case. This alleged financial transaction adds another layer to the grave accusations of misconduct and corruption against the former official.
For his alleged involvement, Yeka Hendra has been charged under Article 21 of the Anti-Corruption Law (Undang-Undang Tipikor) in conjunction with Article 20 of Law Number 1 Year 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP). These charges highlight the severe legal repercussions he now faces.
As of the current reporting, Yeka Hendra has not issued any public statement or comment regarding the serious allegations leveled against him by the Attorney General’s Office.
Summary
The Attorney General’s Office has detained Yeka Hendra Fatika, a former Commissioner of the Indonesian Ombudsman, as a suspect in an alleged obstruction of investigation and prosecution. He is implicated in a prominent corruption case concerning crude palm oil (CPO) and cooking oil export facilities. Yeka Hendra was taken to the Salemba Detention Center for 20 days following his examination and faces charges under the Anti-Corruption Law.
Investigators suspect Yeka Hendra altered the Ombudsman’s audit report, changing its focus from domestic cooking oil scarcity to advocating for the revocation of the Domestic Market Obligation (DMO), which seemingly favored export interests. This alleged manipulation undermined crucial mechanisms related to the CPO corruption case. Furthermore, he is suspected of receiving a significant sum of money from the Wilmar Group, an entity directly involved in the CPO case.