16-1-2025 (JAKARTA) The Pontianak High Court has overturned the conviction of Chinese national Yu Hao, who was previously sentenced for allegedly operating an unlicensed gold mining operation in Indonesia’s West Kalimantan province.
The case, which initially resulted in a three-and-a-half-year prison sentence at the Ketapang District Court, centred around allegations of unauthorised mining activities that reportedly extracted gold and silver worth an estimated 1.02 trillion Indonesian rupiah ($60 million).
According to court documents, prosecutors had claimed Yu conducted unlicensed mining operations between February and May 2024 within a permitted mining area in Ketapang Regency. The mining allegedly occurred in tunnels without the knowledge or consent of the legitimate permit holder, which had not yet commenced operations due to pending regulatory approvals.
Expert testimony presented during the initial trial suggested the illegal operation had extracted substantial quantities of precious metals: 774.2 kg of gold and 937.7 kg of silver. At current market rates, prosecutors valued the extracted materials at more than 1 trillion rupiah in lost state revenue.
The prosecution’s case relied heavily on witness statements claiming Yu personally coordinated the mining activities. This led to charges under Article 158 of Indonesia’s 2020 Mineral and Coal Mining law, with prosecutors initially seeking a five-year prison term and a 50 billion rupiah fine.
The Ketapang District Court, in its October verdict, handed down a lighter sentence of three years and six months’ imprisonment, along with a 30 billion rupiah fine. The court stipulated that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional six months’ incarceration.
However, Yu’s legal team promptly appealed the verdict. In a remarkable turn of events, the Pontianak High Court has now completely exonerated Yu of all charges, ruling that prosecutors failed to prove their case beyond reasonable doubt.
The appellate court’s decision mandates Yu’s immediate release from custody and the full restoration of his rights, position, and dignity. The ruling represents a significant setback for Indonesian authorities’ efforts to crack down on illegal mining operations in the mineral-rich province.
