About the 'KPK Officer' Who Demanded Rp 10 Billion to Drop the Manpower Ministry Case
The trial in the alleged corruption case involving the processing of foreign worker (TKA) permits at the Ministry of Manpower (Kemnaker) continues to unfold. A story has emerged about a person claiming to be a “KPK officer” who demanded Rp 10 billion to have the case dropped.
The hearing was held at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday (19/2/2026). There are eight defendants in the case, as follows:
- Putri Citra Wahyoe, RPTKA Hotline Officer for the 2019-2024 period and RPTKA Endorsement Verifier at the Directorate for Control of Foreign Worker Employment (PPTKA) in 2024-2025.
- Jamal Shodiqin, Administrative Analyst at the PPTKA Directorate from 2019-2024, who also served as Junior Expert Employment Facilitator at the PPTKA Directorate from 2024-2025.
- Alfa Eshad, Intermediate Expert Employment Facilitator at Kemnaker from 2018-2025.
- Suhartono, Director General of Labour Placement Development and Employment Opportunity Expansion (Binapenta dan PKK) at Kemnaker from 2020-2023.
- Haryanto, Director of PPTKA from 2019-2024, who also served as Director General of Binapenta dan PKK from 2024-2025 and currently holds the position of Ministerial Expert Staff for International Relations.
- Wisnu Pramono, Director of PPTKA from 2017-2019.
- Devi Angraeni, Director of PPTKA from 2024-2025.
- Gatot Widiartono, Coordinator for Analysis and Control of Foreign Worker Employment (PPTKA) from 2021-2025.
Prosecutors stated that the defendants also demanded that agents provide goods including one Vespa Primavera 150 ABS A/T motorcycle and one Innova Reborn vehicle. This extortion was carried out with the aim of enriching these civil servants at the Ministry of Manpower.
The breakdown is as follows: Putri enriched herself by Rp 6.39 billion, Jamal by Rp 551.16 million, Alfa by Rp 5.24 billion, and Suhartono by Rp 460 million. Additionally, Haryanto received Rp 84.72 billion and one Innova Reborn vehicle, Wisnu received Rp 25.2 billion and one Vespa Primavera 150 ABS A/T motorcycle, Devi received Rp 3.25 billion, and Gatot received Rp 9.48 billion.
The ‘KPK Officer’ Who Demanded Rp 10 Billion
Prosecutors called a private sector figure, Yora Lovita, as a witness. Yora revealed that a person claiming to be a KPK officer demanded Rp 10 billion to have the case dropped.
Yora said she was contacted by a friend who claimed to know someone from the KPK offering to help with the corruption case involving foreign worker permits.
Yora then contacted Memei, a friend of defendant Gatot Widiartono, the Coordinator for Analysis and Control of Foreign Worker Employment (PPTKA) from 2021-2025. Yora said the person claiming to be a KPK officer was named Bayu Sigit.
“In the investigation report item 10, letter c, page 5, let me read a portion: ‘I did not know the technical process for obtaining RPTKA at the Ministry of Manpower. However, at the beginning of 2025, I was asked by Memei Handayani to help her friend Gatot Widiartono so that he would not be made a suspect by the KPK in the alleged corruption case involving RPTKA processing at Kemnaker.’ Is that statement correct?” asked the prosecutor.
“That is correct, Sir, but I was the one who first contacted Ms Memei at that time,” Yora replied.
“You were the one who introduced the person claiming to be a KPK officer?” asked the prosecutor.
“Correct,” Yora replied.
Yora said there was a meeting between Sigit and Gatot regarding price negotiations for handling the case. She said Sigit demanded Rp 10 billion.
“What was the outcome of that meeting?” asked the prosecutor.
“They negotiated, Sir, negotiated on the figure,” Yora replied.
“How much was the negotiated figure?” asked the prosecutor.
“If I’m not mistaken, at that time it was Rp 10 billion,” Yora replied.
“Who demanded Rp 10 billion?” asked the prosecutor.
“That person, Sir, yes the one I mentioned, Mr Bayu (Sigit), Mr Iwan,” Yora replied.
Rp 1 Billion Handed Over
Yora said the money was eventually handed over approximately three to four weeks after the meeting. She said Gatot handed over Rp 1 billion.
“How much money was ultimately handed over by the defendant Gatot to the person claiming to be a KPK officer?” asked the prosecutor.
“Rp 1 billion,” Yora replied.
Yora said the Rp 10 billion demand from Sigit was intended to have the KPK investigation into the case halted. However, Yora claimed she did not know whether the money was meant to help all eight defendants in the case.
“So the Rp 10 billion demand was for the release of the entire case, Sir,” Yora said.
“Release, what do you mean by release?” asked the prosecutor.
“Don’t use the word release, Sir. Rather, to be assisted with this case,” Yora replied.
“The RPTKA case that is currently being tried?” asked the prosecutor.
“Correct,” Yora replied.
“So that it would stop, be halted?” asked the prosecutor.
“That’s the story, Sir,” Yora replied.
“Including to cover all eight defendants before this witness?” the prosecutor pressed.
“I don’t know how many people, Sir, but the point was they said it wasn’t just Mr Gatot alone,” Yora replied.
Yora said the Rp 1 billion was handed over by Gatot to Sigit through his staff to a courier named Jaka Maulana. She said that because the money handed over did not meet the agreed amount of Rp 7 billion, she did not receive her share of 20 per cent.
“In the investigation report item 12: ‘The initial agreement for dividing the money between myself, Sigit and Iwan Banderas regarding the money to be obtained from Gatot and associates was 20 per cent for myself and Iwan Banderas, with the remaining 80 per cent for Sigit and his team. However, this did not materialise because the money provided had not yet reached the agreed figure of Rp 7 billion and only Rp 1 billion had been given by Gatot Widiartono.’ Is that correct, witness?” asked the prosecutor.
“Correct, Sir,” Yora replied.
The prosecutor then read out Yora’s investigation report number 11, which stated that Yora received Rp 25 million allegedly from the Rp 1 billion that Gatot had handed over.
The ‘KPK Officer’ Denies the Claims
Prosecutors also called Bayu Widodo Sugiarto as a witness. Bayu, who had been referred to as a “KPK person” and was said to have demanded Rp 10 billion to halt the case, denied claims that he had presented himself as a KPK officer.
Bayu said he had known Yora for a long time through his associate named Iwan. Bayu said the meeting with Yora was also attended by Iwan and Gatot Widiartono, the Coordinator for Analysis and Control of Foreign Worker Employment (PPTKA) from 2021-2025 and one of the defendants.
“You met Mr Gatot at the rest area, correct? Who was present at that meeting? Yourself, Ms Yora?” asked the prosecutor.
“Myself, Ms Yora, Mr Iwan, and one more person — I’ve forgotten their name. They were Mr Iwan’s friend. I only met them at that time,” Bayu replied.
Bayu said they discussed news coverage about the alleged RPTKA corruption case being investigated by the KPK. Bayu denied being introduced as a “KPK person.”
“Mr Bayu Widodo Sugiarto, at this meeting, were you introduced as someone? Or did you introduce yourself as someone?” asked the prosecutor.
“I’m Bayu, Sir. My name is Bayu,” Bayu replied.
“Not Sigit?” asked the prosecutor.
“No,” Bayu replied.
“Not from the KPK?” asked the prosecutor.
“No,” Bayu replied.
He claimed to have introduced himself as Bayu, not Sigit. However, he said he could not recall whether Yora had introduced him to Gatot as a “KPK person” or not.
“When you met — Ms Yora, yourself, Mr Iwan, Mr Gatot — did Ms Yora ever say to Mr Gatot, ‘This is Mr Sigit from the KPK’?” asked the prosecutor.
“I don’t remember, Sir, at that time. As far as I recall, I also introduced myself by my name, Bayu,” Bayu replied.
“Right, you introduced yourself as Bayu. Correct. Then did you state where you work?” asked the prosecutor.
“No,” Bayu replied.
“And did you ever show a KPK ID or badge?” asked the prosecutor.
“I have never had one, Sir. I only have an old press card,” Bayu replied.