Police Submit Sumatra Flood Case Files to Prosecutors - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim Polri) has handed over the suspects and evidence in the environmental violations case in the areas affected by the flash floods in South Tapanuli and Central Tapanuli, North Sumatra. The police have named the corporate suspect as PT Tri Bahtera Srikandi (PT TBS).
Bareskrim Polri Director of Specific Crimes Brigadier General Mohammad Irhamni said they have also transferred two individual suspects: PT TBS Director Nur Cholis and PT TBS Manager Firman Hadi. “The suspects have been handed over to the Sibolga District Attorney,” he said in a statement on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Irhamni mentioned that the suspects and evidence were transferred to the Sibolga District Prosecutor's Office on Friday and Saturday, August 28 and 29, 2026. The evidence submitted includes two excavators, one bulldozer, and several company documents.
The suspects are charged with Article 109 letter a and/or Article 98 and/or Article 99 of Law Number 32 of 2009 concerning Environmental Protection and Management, as last amended by Article 21 of Law No 6 of 2023 concerning the enactment or stipulation of a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law into Law Number 2 of 2022 concerning Job Creation as Law. The criminal acts took place in Batang Toru Sub-district, South Tapanuli and Sibabangun Sub-district, Tapanuli Tengah Regency.
The company has four land clearing sites located near areas prone to flash flooding. The total area of these clearing points is 63 hectares. Two of them, covering 36 hectares, are located on the hillside towards DAS Garoga.
PT TBS President Director Nur Kholis told Tempo that the land clearing previously cited by the police involved land formerly held by PT TN, which possessed a Forest Concession (HPH). He claimed that when PT TBS purchased the area, it only had durian trees, so the land was cleared to make way for oil palm plantations. “So, it was not forest wood,” Nur Kholis told Tempo.
