The Indonesian police have yet to receive formal notification of the South Jakarta district court’s decision to invalidate the seizure of the superyacht Equanimity.

“To date, we have yet to be officially notified of the decision. Once we have received it, we will study it and make a statement (on the next course of action),” said Indonesian central police department economic and special crimes deputy director Daniel Silitonga when contacted.

He was responding to Malaysiakini’s query today on the police’s next course of action.

When contacted, lawyer Andi F Simangunsong, who acts for the owner of the superyacht,  said Captain Rolf Sieboldt-Berry and 34 crew members has so far remained on board the vessel docked at Bali’s Benoa port.

Asked whether the international crew is now free to leave Indonesia, Simangunsong said, “that should not be a problem.”

“At the moment all that is left is some technical details,” he said.

Simangunsong, however, did not elaborate further beyond stating that his legal team is in the midst of discussions with Indonesia’s police to resolve technical details following the court decision.

“I cannot comment on that at all,” he said when asked on the expected time needed for the discussions to be resolved.

The Indonesian police seized the Equanimity on Feb 28 in a joint operation (photo) off the coast of Bali with the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Equanimity’s registered owner Equanimity (Cayman) Ltd had challenged the legality of the seizure in a pre-trial petition lodged at the South Jakarta District Court, culminating in yesterday’s verdict to invalidate the seizure.

The court found that the seizure of the Equanimity did not follow the procedures laid out by its laws on mutual legal assistance, and that the FBI should have requested Indonesia’s assistance via the Ministry of Law and Human Rights instead of the Indonesian police.

It ordered the police to return the Equanimity to its claimant Equanimity Ltd.

Previously, Silitonga had told Malaysiakini the vessel’s captain Rolf Sieboldt-Berry and his crew are to remain aboard the vessel pending the outcome of the South Jakarta court case.

Checks by Malaysiakini on the ship tracking service MarineTraffic found that the Equanimity is currently moored at Teluk Benoa port in Bali, having moved there from a nearby anchorage last night.

In filings at the California Central District Court yesterday, Equanimity Ltd’s lawyer Naeun Rim said, “(The claimants will) not move the vessel out of Indonesia without advance notice to the (US) government.

“And, as it always has been, the defendant asset (Equanimity) shall remain trackable throughout that process.”

She also pledged that Equanimity’s claimants will continue discussions with the US government to facilitate an interlocutory sale of the vessel while the US Department of Justice’s civil forfeiture suit to seize the vessel is ongoing. This is to find a “value-optimising” plan for the sale.

In a supporting declaration to Rim’s filing, Indonesian lawyer Hesti Setyowati informed the California court of the verdict in South Jakarta.

Hesti said the verdict was delivered verbally, and a written decision will be available in a few days. Rim said a certified translation will be filed in California once it is available.