Indonesia Arrests Four Judges, Including Muhammad Arif Nuryanta, in Palm Oil Bribery Scandal Involving IDR 60 Billion and 17 Witnesses

Indonesian authorities have arrested four judges, including Muhammad Arif Nuryanta, the head of the South Jakarta District Court, in connection with a bribery scandal involving palm oil companies. The judges were accused of accepting bribes to acquit three palm oil firms of corruption charges related to export permits. The Chief of the South Jakarta District Court, Nuryanta, allegedly requested a total of IDR 60 billion (approximately $4 million) in bribes, which he sought to multiply for the case handling. The arrest follows the detention of a local court's chief judge on similar bribery charges. The Indonesian Attorney General's Office is currently investigating the case and has summoned 17 witnesses for questioning. This incident has raised concerns about the integrity of Indonesia's judicial system, prompting calls for reform from lawmakers and legal experts.