Tulungagung Regent Gatut Peras Rp 2.7 Billion to Buy Shoes

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated that the Regent of Tulungagung Gatut Sunu Wibowo (GSW) was suspected of having received money worth Rp. 2.7 billion from the results of extortion of a number of regional apparatus organization (OPD) officials of the Tulungagung Regency Government, East Java. The money has only partially collected from the target of Rp. 5 billion.

"Of the total demand for GSW to the OPD, which is at least IDR 5 billion, the realization of the money that has been received by GSW is approximately IDR 2.7 billion," said Deputy Head of the KPK's Enforcement and Execution Division, Asep Guntur Rahayu, at a press conference at the KPK's Red and White Building, Kuningan, South Jakarta, Saturday, April 11 evening.

This money is suspected to have been used for Gatut Sunu's personal interests, such as for shoe purchases, medical treatment, meals, and other personal needs that were also requested or charged to the budget in the OPD.

The money was also used by Gatut for the provision of holiday allowances (THR) to a number of elements in the Tulungagung Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda).

Previously, Asep revealed that in launching the action, Gatut Sunu allegedly forced the OPD officials who had been inaugurated to sign a statement of willingness to resign from their positions and ASN. However, the letter did not include a date and the copy was not given to the officials who had signed.

The letter was then allegedly used as a tool for Gatut Sunu to control and pressure officials to be loyal and obey all his orders.

"For those who are not in line with the regent, they are threatened with being removed from their positions or even retiring as ASN," he said.

Gatut then asked for money from officials on 16 OPD with a total of Rp. 5 billion. The amount of money requested varied, ranging from Rp. 15 million to Rp. 2.8 billion.

Gatut also asked for a quota by adding or shifting funds in a number of OPDs. He set a fee of up to 50% of the added budget value.

He also conditioned the winner of the auction for the procurement of goods and services, and directly appointed certain partners for a number of OPD jobs.

For their actions, Gatut Sunu and his aide Dwi Yoga Ambal, who were intermediaries in the extortion, were named as suspects by the KPK. The two were immediately detained for the first 20 days at the KPK Red and White Building Branch Detention Center, Jakarta.

Both suspects were charged with Article 12 letter e or Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2021 concerning the Eradication of Tipikor in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.