Indonesia Suspends Five Officials Over Luxury Inmate Compound at Cibinong Prison

Indonesian authorities have suspended five officials, including the head of Cibinong Prison, following the discovery of a luxury residential compound allegedly reserved for certain inmates at the penitentiary near Jakarta.

The suspensions were announced on Tuesday by Rudi Setiawan, inspector general of the Ministry of Immigration and Corrections, who said dozens of prisoners and prison employees had already been questioned. The five structural officials are suspected of bearing responsibility for the facilities uncovered by the national Ombudsman.

Ombudsman investigators made the find during an unannounced inspection on Sept. 23 at the 4-hectare (10-acre) prison in Bogor, according to Ombudsman member Syafrida Rachmawati Rasahan. More than 10 residential units standing apart from the regular cell blocks were identified, she said.

The units were equipped with air conditioners, large televisions, refrigerators, sofas and dining areas, Rasahan told a news conference. Inspectors also reported a gym, a golf simulator still under construction and luxury vehicles within the complex.

"We found strong indications that certain inmates had access to special facilities unavailable to ordinary prisoners," Rasahan said. "We encountered inmates inside the residential compound and discovered facilities resembling homestays, apartments and villas rather than prison housing."

Cibinong holds a mixed population that includes convicted corruption offenders and other high-profile prisoners. Officials have not publicly identified the inmates who allegedly occupied the compound.

Setiawan said the buildings were originally meant to serve as official housing for prison staff, and investigators are examining whether they were converted into unauthorized accommodation for inmates.

Lawmakers, anti-corruption activists and watchdog groups have pressed authorities to disclose which prisoners used the facilities and whether prison officials received payments in return for the privileges.

The case has drawn widespread public attention and renewed scrutiny of Indonesia's corrections system, which has long faced allegations that wealthy or well-connected inmates can obtain preferential treatment through bribery. The system has also struggled for years with overcrowding and corruption.