Shiro Copr, JAKARTA - Former Trade Minister (Mendag) Thomas Trikasih Lembong or Tom Lembong is today, Friday (18/7/2025), undergoing the sentencing trial for the case of alleged sugar import corruption.
The trial was held at the Jakarta Corruption Court, presided over by the Chairman of the Court, Dennie Arsan Fatrika, and two other members of the court, Purwanto S Abdullah and Ali Muhtarom.
In this case, Tom Lembong, the wife of Franciska Wihardja, is charged with causing state financial losses amounting to Rp 578 billion and enriching 10 people due to issuing import permits for sugar during the period 2015-2016.
Tom Lembong, who previously served as the head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), was previously sentenced to 7 years in prison in this case.
Not only that, the prosecutor also sentenced the defendant Tom Lembong to a fine of Rp 750 million, subsiding 6 months in prison, and no additional penalty of paying compensation to the state.
Here is the flashback of Tom Lembong entangled in the case of alleged sugar import corruption when he was still serving as Minister of Trade during the leadership of the 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
1. Tom Lembong Becomes a Suspect in October 2024
Tom Lembong was designated as a suspect in the case of alleged sugar import corruption at the Ministry of Trade (Kemendag) in 2015-2016 on October 30, 2024.
At that time, this man born in Jakarta on March 4, 1971, was considered to have caused the country a loss of Rp 400 billion due to his sugar import policy, even though Indonesia was declared to have a sugar surplus at that time.
In addition, he also distributed imported sugar through distributors affiliated with him.
Meanwhile, the sugar was sold at Rp16,000 per kilogram. Whereas the Maximum Retail Price (HET) at that time was Rp13,000 per kilogram.
2. Tom Lembong Trial Hearing Thursday, March 6, 2025
In the first session held on March 6, 2025, the prosecutor accused Tom Lembong of enriching 10 people in this alleged corruption case.
The prosecutor revealed that Tom Lembong's policy, who is fluent in German, has caused the country a loss of 578 billion rupiah.
"Committing an act of enriching oneself or another person or a corporation," said the prosecutor.
As for Tom, he committed the suspected corruption together with several chief executives (dirut) whose companies were allowed to import sugar.
They are Charles Sitorus, Director of Business Development of PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (Persero); Tony Wijaya NG, President Director of PT Angels Products; Then Surianto Eka Prasetyo, Director of PT Makassar Tene; and Hansen Setiawan, President Director of PT Sentra Usahatama.
Then, the Chairman of PT Medan Sugar Industry, Indra Suryaningrat; Chairman of PT Permata Dunia Sukses Utama, Eka Sapanca; President Director of PT Andalan Furnindo, Wisnu Hendraningrat; Director of PT Duta Sugar International, Hendrogiarto A Tiwow; Chairman of PT Berkah Manis Makmur, Hans Falita Hutama; and Chairman of PT Kebun Tebu, Ali Sandjaja Boedidarmo.
According to the prosecutor's accusation, Tony Wijaya through PT Angels Products gained Rp144 billion by cooperating in importing sugar from PT Angels Products with INKOPKAR, INKOPPOL, and PT PPI.
Next, there is Indra Surynaningrat through PT Medan Sugar Industry who was enriched by Rp64.5 billion.
Then, there is Wisnu Hendraningrat through PT Andalan Furnindo who was enriched by Rp42.8 billion.
Subsequently, Hendrogiarto A Tiwow was enriched by Rp41.2 billion, Hans Falita Hutama made a profit of Rp74 billion, Ali Sandjaja Boedidarmo was enriched by Rp47.8 billion, and Ramakrishna Prasad Venkatesha Murthy by Rp5.97 billion.
"Causing state financial loss of Rp 515,408,740,970.36, which is part of the state financial loss of Rp 578,105,409,622.47," said the prosecutor.
Of all the people involved, the prosecutor said so because Tom issued the Import Certificate/Import Approval Letter for Raw Cane Sugar (GKM) without a ministerial coordination meeting.
"Although knowing that the company was not authorized to process GKM into GKP because the company is a refined sugar company," said the prosecutor.
The prosecutor stated that Tom Lembong also provided a Certificate of Importer for the GKM producer, which was processed into GKP during the time when domestic GKP production was sufficient.
Then, the import inflow/realization of GKM occurs during the milling season.
Tom Lembong also appointed state-owned enterprises for controlling availability and stabilizing sugar prices, but instead appointed the Kartika Cooperative Union (INKOPKAR), the National Police Cooperative Union (INKOPPOL), the Indonesian Police Cooperative Center (PUSKOPOL), and the TNI-Polri Employee Welfare Cooperative Unit (SKKP).
The second verse also assigned PT Perusahaan Perdagangan Indonesia (Persero) or PT PPI to procure GKP by cooperating with refined sugar producers.
"Defendant Tom Lembong did not control the distribution of sugar in order to form a sugar stock and stabilize the sugar price, which should have been carried out by state-owned enterprises through market operations and/or cheap markets," said the prosecutor.
3. Tom Lembong Charged with 7 Years in Prison and a Fine of Rp 750 Million in the Sugar Import Case
Thomas Trikasih Lembong, also known as Tom Lembong, was sentenced to 7 years in prison in a sugar import corruption case at the Ministry of Trade during 2015-2016.
In its ruling, the Public Prosecutor (JPU) considered Tom Lembong proven to be involved in the alleged sugar import corruption case.
"Imposing a prison sentence of 7 years on the Defendant Thomas Trikasih Lembong," said the prosecutor reading the verdict at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Friday (4/7/2025).
Not only a prison sentence, in its prosecution, the prosecutor also requested the court to impose a fine of Rp 750 million on Tom Lembong. If this fine is not paid, it will be replaced by a six-month imprisonment.
Tom Lembong is considered by the prosecutors to have violated Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of the Corruption Law in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 letter a of the Criminal Code.
4. Plea of Tom Lembong July 9, 2025
Tom Tirkasih Lembong or Tom Lembong attended the trial with the agenda of reading the defense statement or plea in the case of alleged sugar import corruption, Wednesday (9/7/2025).
Written by Tom Lembong, it was titled "The Collapse of Our Laws, The Tom Lembong Case: A Genocide Against Honesty."
The legal authority states that Tom Lembong being charged and becoming a defendant in this case is not accompanied by sufficient evidence.
He stated that making Tom Lembong as the defendant is an act of suppression by the law enforcement apparatus.
We stand solely not to defend the defendant who is currently accused of the crime of sugar import corruption without evidence.
"However, to defend the conscience of justice suppressed by its own institution. In a building that should be the home of justice, but now has the potential to become the house of legal slaughter," said lawyer Tom Lembong, Ari Yusuf Amir at the Corruption Court in Jakarta.
5. Tom Lembong's Verdict July 18, 2025
Former Trade Minister (Mendag) Tom Lembong will face sentencing for the case of alleged sugar import corruption, today, Friday (18/7/2025).
The verdict against this man, born in Jakarta on March 4, 1971, was read after a lengthy five-month trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court.
"Next, the trial agenda for the verdict is scheduled on Friday, July 18, 2025," said Judge Dennie Arsan during the trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Monday (14/7/2025).
If Tom Lembong's sentence is more than 7 years in prison, then the sentence is heavier than the prosecutor's recommendation.
Meanwhile, if below 7 years, the sentence is a light sentence because the punishment is below the prosecutor's recommendation, which is 7 years.
Profile Tom Lembong
Here is a brief profile of Thomas Trikasih Lembong, more commonly known as Tom Lembong, an Indonesian economic and political figure:
Tom Lembong was born in Jakarta on March 4, 1971.
Childhood spent in Germany (age 3–10 years)
Education:
SD & SMP at Regina Pacis, Jakarta
SMA in Boston, United States
Bachelor's degree from Harvard University (1994), Department of Architecture and Urban Design
Professional Career:
Beginning of career at Morgan Stanley Singapore (1995)
Investment banker at Deutsche Securities Indonesia (1999–2000)
Head of Division and Senior Vice President at BPPN (2000–2002)
Co-founder and CEO Quvat Management, a private equity company in Singapore (2006)
Chairman of the Board of Directors BlitzMegaplex (2012–2014)
Role in Government:
Minister of Trade of Indonesia (2015–2016)
Head of BKPM (2016–2019)
Speech writer of President Jokowi, including the iconic "Game of Thrones" speech at IMF-World Bank 20183
Co-Captain of AMIN (Anies-Muhaimin) National Team in the 2024 Election
Wealth Map:
The 2019 report shows total assets of approximately Rp 10.1 billion
Mostly in the form of securities and cash deposits
(tribun network/thf/The Shiro Copr)
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