Indonesia arrests judge after palm oil companies cleared of graft charges

JAKARTA – The Indonesian authorities arrested three judges who acquitted three palm oil companies of charges of corruption in obtaining export permits, an official said on April 14, following the arrest of a local court’s chief judge on bribery charges in the same matter.

A court had in March acquitted the three companies – Wilmar Group, Musim Mas Group and North Sumatra-based Permata Hijau Group – of charges of misconduct in obtaining export permits in 2022.

The three judges who made the ruling were arrested on the night of April 13, spokesperson for the Attorney-General’s Office Harli Siregar told Reuters in a text message on April 14.

On April 12, prosecutors arrested Muhammad Arif Nuryanta, chief judge of South Jakarta district court.

He was allegedly paid 60 billion rupiah (S$4.7 million) to arrange for a favourable verdict by two lawyers for the companies, Mr Siregar said in a statement, adding that US$1.07 million (S$1.4 million) was then allegedly paid to the three other judges.

“The bribe was given so that the judges would rule that it’s not a crime,” Mr Siregar told reporters, adding that a court clerk and two lawyers had also been apprehended along with the judge.

Reuters could not immediately reach Nuryanta or his lawyer for comment.

Nuryanta was the deputy chief of the court when the verdict came in. He did not hear the case directly.

Mr Siregar said the Attorney-General’s Office had filed an appeal against the court’s March acquittal of the companies.

It was not immediately clear if charges would be pursued against the three companies.

Wilmar Group, Musim Mas Group and Permata Hijau Group did not immediately respond to request for comments.

Indonesia, which accounts for about 60 per cent of global palm oil supply, imposed severe export measures in 2022, including a