JAKARTA, Legal Literacy – The Panel of Judges of the Jakarta Central District Court for Corruption Crimes sentenced to 15 years in prison to Muhammad Kerry Adrianto Riza, the son of oil businessman Mohammad Riza Chalid, in the case of corruption in the management of crude oil and refinery products within PT Pertamina Subholding and Cooperation Contract Contractors (KKKS) for the period 2018–2023. The judge also sentenced Kerry to pay a fine of Rp 1 billion as well as replacement money of Rp 2.9 trillion. The verdict was lighter than the prosecutor's demand for 18 years in prison and replacement money of around Rp 13.4 trillion.

The judge stated that Kerry was legally and convincingly proven to have committed criminal acts of corruption related to arrangements for the company he owned to win a number of important contracts with Pertamina even though it did not meet business requirements. Among them, the ship belonging to PT Jenggala Maritim Nusantara (JMN), a company owned by Kerry, did not have a permit to transport oil and gas, but still obtained a ship charter contract. The prosecutor stated that this arrangement caused state losses reaching Rp 2.9 trillion.

In addition, the prosecutor accused Kerry and his father of offering cooperation in renting a fuel oil terminal that actually belonged to another company, but was still included in an agreement that benefited them. The indictment stated that the terminal was operated by an entity involving shares of a company owned by Kerry's family.

Verdict Considerations: Lighter Than Prosecutor's Demands

The Panel of Judges, chaired by Fajar Kusuma Aji, stated that although Kerry's actions harmed state finances, the verdict considerations took into account a number of factors—including the possibility that there was no element of proof that fully incriminated the defendant compared to the prosecutor's demands. Meanwhile, the prosecutor previously assessed that the defendant's actions, apart from involving corrupt practices in procurement within state-owned enterprises, also had a broad impact on national oil and gas governance.

Kerry became the only defendant out of nine who were sentenced to pay replacement money in this case. Previously, the prosecutor asked that the defendant pay total losses of more than Rp 13 trillion, but the panel of judges only stipulated a replacement money obligation of Rp 2.9 trillion.

This case is part of a large case being monitored by law enforcement officials, in which a number of officials and businessmen are involved in practices that are considered not in accordance with the principles of governance in the oil and gas sector and related procurement within Pertamina.

This news is the result of synthesizing information from a number of credible sources to present a verified, complete and balanced report to readers.