Former KPK Detention Center Employee Charged With Extortion Of IDR 6.3 Billion, Azis Syamsuddin Until Former Supreme Court Secretary Becomes Target

ILLUSTRATION OF DOK VOI

JAKARTA - Former Head of the KPK Detention Center Achmad Fauzi along with 14 former KPK prison employees were charged with illegal collection (extortion) of Rp. 6.3 billion. Several big names were targeted, including Azis Syamsuddin and former MA Secretary Nurhadi.

"Forcing someone, namely the detainees of the KPK Detention Center, including Elvianto, Yoory Corneles Pinontoan, Firjan Taufan, Sahat Tua P Simanjuntak, Nurhadi, Emirsyah Satar, Dodi Reza, Muhammad Aziz Syamsuddin, Adi Jumal Widodo, Apri Sujadi, Abdul Gafur Ma'sud, Dono Purwoko, and Rahmat Effendi, to provide something, to pay or accept payments with deductions or to do something for themselves, namely to give money in the total amount of Rp. 6,387,150,000. or at least about that amount by the defendants," said the prosecutor at the trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court, Thursday, August 1.

The defendants involved in extortion include the former Acting Head of the 2018 KPK Detention Center Deden Rochendi, former Acting Head of the 2021 KPK Detention Center Ristanta and the Head of Security and Order (Kamtib) of the KPK in 2018-2022, Hengki.

Then the former officers at the KPK detention center, namely Erlangga Permana, Sopian Hadi, Ari Rahman Hakim, Muhammad Ridwan, Mahdi Aris, Suharlan, Ricky Rachmawanto, Wardoyo, Muhammad Abduh, and Ramadhan Ubaidillah A.

They are said to have committed extortion at the KPK detention center from May 2019 to May 2023. They are considered to have violated their authority to gain personal gain.

"Unlawful or abuse of power, namely the defendants as officers of the KPK detention center have abused their power or authority related to the receipt, placement, and expenditure of prisoners and monitored the security and order of detainees while in detention," he said.

The extortion action began with Deden asking Hengki to continue the 'old tradition' at the KPK Detention Center, namely asking for and collecting money from detainees at the KPK Detention Center Branch at Pomdam Jaya Guntur, the KPK Detention Center Branch at the Red and White Building (K4) and the KPK Detention Center Branch at Building C1.

"At that time, even though he was no longer the Acting Head of the KPK Detention Center Branch, Defendant I Deden Rochendi asked Defendant II Hengki to continue the 'old tradition' at the KPK Detention Center, namely asking and collecting money from detainees at the KPK Detention Center Branch at Pomdam Jaya Guntur, the KPK Detention Center Branch at the Red and White Building (K4) and the KPK Detention Center Branch at Building C1. At this request, Defendant II Hengki agreed," said the prosecutor.

The prosecutor said the extortion proceeds would later be deposited in cash in a holding bank account. He said someone served as 'Lurah' to coordinate requests and collect money every month appointed as 'Korting'.

The amount of extortion money in each KPK detention center reaches Rp. 80 million per month. The money from the extortion will be distributed to prison officials based on the rank or position.

In this case, the defendants are believed to have violated Article 12 letter e of the Corruption Crime Law in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) of the 1st Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 64 Paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.