Indonesia detains 3 judges over bribery charges in crude palm oil corruption case

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) - Indonesia has detained three judges on the charges of receiving bribes in a 2022 palm oil export corruption case, local media reported on Monday.

The judges, identified as Agam Syarif Baharuddin, Ali Muhtarom, and Djuyamto, were arrested by the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) on Sunday evening over allegations that they accepted bribes in exchange for acquitting three companies accused of illegally exporting crude palm oil, local English daily Jakarta Globe reported.

The corporate defendants in the high-profile case include Wilmar Group.

Their arrests bring the total number of suspects in the case to seven.

According to AGO, the judges initially received 4.5 billion Indonesian Rupiah ($267,967) in 2024, delivered in goody bags.

In a second transaction in September 2024, the judges allegedly received an additional 18 billion Indonesian Rupiah ($1 million).

The investigation began after the Jakarta Anti-Corruption Court, presided by Judge Djuyamto issued a controversial ruling on March 19, declaring that the companies had exported crude palm oil without the required government permits, but ruled that their actions did not fall under criminal law.

The judgment led to the accused's acquittal.

Prosecutors said they have already seized 1.4 trillion Indonesian Rupiah ($83 million) in cash and dozens of luxury vehicles from the companies, with the funds now held in a government account.

The three companies were accused of violating a temporary crude palm oil export ban during a nationwide cooking oil shortage.