Jakarta. The Attorney General's Office detained former Pertamina boss Karen Agustiawan on Monday (24/09) over her alleged involvement in corruption involving the state energy company's investment in Basker Manta Gummy oil and gas field in Australia in 2009, which resulted in hundreds of billions of rupiah in state losses.

Karen, who was president director of Pertamina between 2009 and 2014, was already named a suspect in early April. AGO investigators questioned her on Monday before taking her to Pondok Bambu women's penitentiary in East Jakarta.

According to AGO spokesman M. Rum, public accountants have found that the acquisition of a stake in the oilfield resulted in Rp 568 billion ($38 million) in state losses.

The case stems from the 2009 acquisition by the state energy company's downstream arm, Pertamina Hulu Energy, of a 10 percent stake in Australian oil firm Roc Oil for A$66.2 million ($48 million), based on an assumption that the field could produce about 812 barrels of oil per day.

However, it was later discovered that the block could only produce 252 barrels per day, and the situation worsened a year later when the block was shut down when the other investors, Roc Oil, Beach Petroleum, Sojitz Energy and Cieco Energy, decided to halt crude oil production for economic reasons.

The AGO is holding Karen to account for her investment decision, which was taken without a feasibility study, due diligence or approval by the company's board of commissioners.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Karen defended her decision and said the law should be allowed to take its course.