Indonesian authorities name CNI CEO as suspect in nickel corruption case

The Indonesian Attorney General's Office has named Derian Sakmiwata, President Director of PT Ceria Nugraha Indotama (CNI), as a suspect in a corruption case involving nickel governance between 2017 and 2020.

Authorities allege that Sakmiwata was involved in bribing state officials to issue illegal documents, which facilitated the unlawful sale of nickel. Specifically, the investigation suggests that nickel was exported without complying with domestic market obligation (DMO) policies. The illegal activities allegedly involved the falsification of documents, including nickel grade test results, work plans, and export approvals.

Sakmiwata has been detained for 20 days at the Salemba detention center. Under the new Criminal Code, he faces a potential sentence of up to life imprisonment or 20 years, along with a fine of up to Rp 2 billion. PT Ceria Nugraha Indotama has also been named as a corporate suspect following an investigation that included 116 witnesses and the seizure of 143 documents.