6 Locations in Sukoharjo Regency, KPK Find Money and Jewelry Allegedly Resulting from Ransom

KPK spokesperson, Budi Prasetyo/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) searched six locations in the Sukoharjo Regency area, Central Java to find evidence of alleged extortion carried out by the non-active Regent of Sukoharjo Etik Suryani. One of the findings obtained by investigators was money.

"In the series of searches, investigators secured a number of electronic evidence, documents, money, and jewelry," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Wednesday, July 15.

"For the details of the nominal amount, we will convey it at the next opportunity," he continued.

Budi detailed that the six locations that were searched were the regent's official residence, the regent's office, the Public Works Office (PU), the Transportation Office, the Agriculture Office, and the Sukoharjo Regency Health Office. This forced effort was held on Tuesday, July 14.

"Then today the investigators continued the search activities at three points," said Budi.

The three locations that were searched, one of which was the Sukoharjo Regency BPKAD office. "There is a need for investigators to find evidence of evidence that was put down in the process of revealing this case so that it becomes clearer," explained Budi.

As previously reported, the KPK named Sukoharjo Regent Etik Suryani, Head of the Sukoharjo District BPKAD Richard Tri Handoko, and Head of the General Affairs Section of the Sukoharjo District Regional Secretariat Tri Mulyono as suspects of alleged extortion. This determination began with a hand-in-hand operation (OTT) held in Central Java on Thursday, July 9.

Etik is suspected of extortion through the mechanism of cutting tax and regional levies in the environment of the Regional Revenue and Asset Management Agency (BPKAD) of Sukoharjo Regency.

The practice of lancung began after Etik issued a Bupati Decree (SK) regarding the Acceptance and Amount of Payment of Regional Tax Collection Incentives and a Decree on the Recipients and Amount of Payment of Regional Collection Incentives on the Sukoharjo Regency BPKAD in 2026.

The KPK suspects that the money collection was carried out by the Head of the Sukoharjo Regency BPKAD, Richard Tri Handoko, at the order of Etik.

In carrying out this practice, Etik allegedly gave his subordinates several codes, including "additional wages for kae ono, tho", "kowe mrene kan ora mbayar", to "padakno karo bapak", which means an order to equalize the amount of deposit with the practice during the previous regent.

The money collected was then handed over through the BPKAD Secretary to Etik. The KPK suspects that Etik received around IDR 2.93 billion from this practice from 2021 to 2026.

In addition, the KPK also found allegations of routine deposits from local government units (OPD). The value reached around Rp. 840 million throughout 2024-2026, while in the 2022-2024 period it was collected around Rp. 1.2 billion.

As a result of their actions, the three were suspected of violating Article 12 letter e or Article 12 letter f and Article 12B of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001.