Police Give 50 Kades in West Aceh Time to Return Village Funds of Rp40.9 Billion

West Aceh Police Chief, AKBP Yhogi Hadisetiawan. (ANTARA/Teuku Dedi Iskandar)

West Aceh Police (Polres) has given time to 50 village heads (keuchik) in the local area to immediately return the findings of indications of alleged corruption in village funds of more than Rp40.9 billion until March 2026 before legal action is taken in accordance with applicable regulations.

"Before the West Aceh Inspectorate handed this (case) to us, the village officials concerned could immediately carry out financial accountability improvements for the village finances, please return it," said the West Aceh Police Chief, AKBP Yhogi Hadisetiawan, as reported by ANTARA, Wednesday, March 4.

He said that currently, the findings of 50 village cadres in West Aceh Regency were suspected of abusing village funds, according to the findings of the local Inspectorate, which had not been handed over for legal proceedings to the police.

"For the transfer to the Police, it has not yet been, (the finding) this is only initial information from the Regent," he said.

However, the Police Chief said that if later the West Aceh Regency Government entrusts the results of the findings of corruption in the village fund to the local police, then his party will take action in accordance with the applicable legal provisions.

For this reason, his party appealed to all village apparatuses in West Aceh who had found indications of village fund irregularities, so that they could return the findings to the state treasury.

"So that there is no enforcement of the law there, the village apparatus can immediately return, so that later this problem can be resolved internally in the local government," said the Police Chief.

However, if the case is later handed over to the police, Yhogi Hadisetiawan ensures that it will follow up in accordance with applicable laws.

Previously, the West Aceh Regency Government ultimatum 50 village heads (keuchik) in its area, to immediately return state funds that were found in village funds audits from 2022 to 2025.

According to official data belonging to the West Aceh Regency Government, the number of village funds found in West Aceh Regency that have not been followed up or not returned by a number of village apparatuses in the local area, currently reaches more than Rp. 40.9 billion.

The Regent of West Aceh, Tarmizi, emphasized that if the 50 village heads did not return the findings of the village funds to the village treasury, then as of April 1, 2026, he would dismiss the 50 village heads who had been suspected of committing corruption in village funds.

He stated that for every village head who does not want to return the village funds according to the results of the audit of the West Aceh Regency Inspectorate, they must be prepared to accept the legal consequences later.