InfoSAWIT, JAKARTA – Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office (AGO) has named former Ombudsman commissioner Yeka Hendra Fatika, who served during the 2021–2026 period, as a suspect in an alleged obstruction of justice case related to the governance of crude palm oil (CPO) and cooking oil exports.
The designation marks a further development in a broader investigation that previously involved allegations of judicial bribery and several individuals, including lawyer Marcella Santoso.
Director of Investigations at the Special Crimes Unit (Jampidsus), Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, said investigators reached the decision after gathering sufficient evidence and completing a series of investigative procedures.
“After completing several stages of investigation and obtaining sufficient evidence, the investigation team has named YHF, a member of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Indonesia for the 2021–2026 period, as a suspect,” Syarief said during a press conference at the AGO headquarters in South Jakarta.
According to investigators, the case dates back to early 2022 when Indonesia faced a nationwide cooking oil shortage. At the time, Yeka, still serving as an Ombudsman commissioner, initiated an investigation into alleged maladministration at the Ministry of Trade.
However, prosecutors allege that the substance of the Ombudsman’s investigative report was unlawfully altered.
“YHF allegedly changed the Ombudsman report material, which originally concerned cooking oil shortages, into a recommendation to revoke the Domestic Market Obligation (DMO) policy for export-related interests,” Syarief explained.
The Ombudsman Investigation Report No. 418, dated August 15, 2022, was later alleged to have become a key legal document used by corporate parties challenging government export policies.
Investigators claim the document, which should have been delivered only to the Ministry of Trade as the reported institution, was instead leaked to private legal teams.
“The report was provided to MS and the AALF Legal team and later used as the basis for lawsuits filed in the Administrative Court and civil litigation against the Ministry of Trade,” Syarief said.
Alleged Financial Flows from Corporate Interests
The Attorney General’s Office further alleged that Yeka received funds linked to companies within the Wilmar Group.
Investigators suspect the funds were provided in exchange for changes made to the report’s substance and were transferred through third-party accounts to conceal the transactions.
“YHF allegedly received funds from corporations affiliated with Wilmar Group through other individuals’ bank accounts and also obtained several projects from companies within the Wilmar Group,” Syarief stated.
Prosecutors said the Ombudsman recommendation later became one of the legal instruments used in corporate lawsuits against the government. Court rulings from administrative and civil cases were subsequently incorporated into defense arguments that resulted in acquittal verdicts for three major corporations—Wilmar Group, Musim Mas Group, and Permata Hijau Group—in the CPO export governance case.
The broader investigation expanded after prosecutors uncovered alleged manipulation surrounding the acquittal verdict issued in March 2025.
Yeka has been charged under Article 21 of Indonesia’s Anti-Corruption Law in conjunction with Article 20 of Law No. 1/2023 of the Criminal Code concerning obstruction of corruption investigations and prosecutions.
Investigators have placed the suspect in detention for the next 20 days at the Salemba Detention Center branch operated by the Attorney General’s Office.
The case adds another layer to Indonesia’s ongoing investigations into cooking oil and CPO export governance, while drawing fresh scrutiny toward alleged abuse of authority within public oversight institutions. (T2)
