Accused of Demanding Rp 10 Billion to Drop Foreign Worker Case, Bayu Denies Claiming to Be 'KPK Official'
Prosecutors called Bayu Widodo Sugiarto as a witness in the alleged corruption case involving the arrangement of foreign worker (TKA) permits at the Ministry of Manpower. Bayu, who had previously been identified as a “KPK insider” alleged to have demanded Rp 10 billion to halt the case, denied ever claiming to be affiliated with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
The hearing was held at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday (19 February 2026). Bayu initially acknowledged having met Yora Lovita, the individual who had identified him as a “KPK insider” in a previous hearing.
Bayu said he had known Yora for some time through an acquaintance named Iwan. He stated that his meeting with Yora was also attended by Iwan and Gatot Widiartono, the Coordinator for Analysis and Control of Foreign Worker Employment (PPTKA) from 2021 to 2025 and one of the defendants in the case.
“You met Mr Gatot at the rest area, correct? Who else was present?” the prosecutor asked.
“Myself, Mrs Yora, Mr Iwan, and one other person — a friend of Mr Iwan’s. I only met him there at that time,” Bayu replied.
Bayu acknowledged discussing media reports about the alleged RPTKA corruption case being investigated by the KPK. However, he denied being introduced as a “KPK insider.”
“Mr Bayu Widodo Sugiarto, in that meeting, how were you introduced? Or how did you introduce yourself?” the prosecutor asked.
“I’m Bayu, sir. My name is Bayu,” he replied.
“Not Sigit?” the prosecutor pressed.
“No,” Bayu answered.
“Not from the KPK?”
“No,” he responded.
Bayu claimed he introduced himself as Bayu, not Sigit. However, he said he could not recall whether Yora had introduced him to Gatot as a “KPK official.”
“When you met — Mrs Yora, yourself, Mr Iwan, Mr Gatot — did Mrs Yora ever say to Mr Gatot, ‘This is Mr Sigit from the KPK’?” the prosecutor asked.
“I can’t remember, sir. As far as I recall, I also introduced myself as Bayu,” he replied.
“Right, you introduced yourself as Bayu. Did you mention where you work?”
“No,” Bayu said.
“Have you ever shown a KPK identification card or badge?”
“I’ve never had one, sir. I only have a leftover press card,” Bayu replied.
In a previous hearing, the prosecution had called Yora Lovita, a private sector figure, as a witness. Yora revealed that someone claiming to be a KPK official had demanded Rp 10 billion to have the case dropped.
Yora initially said she was contacted by an acquaintance who claimed to know someone from the KPK offering to help with the corruption case. Yora then contacted Memei, a friend of Gatot Widiartono. She identified the person claiming to be a KPK official as “Bayu Sigit.”
“In the investigation report, page 5, section 10c, it states: ‘I was not aware of the technical process for arranging RPTKA at the Ministry of Manpower. However, in early 2025, I was asked by Memei Handayani to help her friend Gatot Widiartono so that he would not be named a suspect by the KPK in the alleged corruption case involving RPTKA arrangements at the Ministry of Manpower.’ Is this statement correct?” the prosecutor asked during the hearing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday (12 February).
“That’s correct, sir, although I was the one who first contacted Ms Memei at the time,” Yora replied.
“You were the one who introduced [Gatot] to the person claiming to be a KPK official?”
“Correct,” Yora confirmed.
Yora said a meeting took place between Bayu Sigit and Gatot to negotiate the price for handling the case. She stated that Bayu Sigit demanded Rp 10 billion.
“How much was demanded in the negotiation?” the prosecutor asked.
“If I’m not mistaken, it was Rp 10 billion at the time,” Yora answered.
“Who demanded the Rp 10 billion?”
“It was the person I knew as Mr Bayu [Sigit] and Mr Iwan,” Yora replied.
Yora said the money was eventually handed over approximately three to four weeks after the meeting. She stated that 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 official?” the prosecutor asked.
“Rp 1 billion,” Yora replied.
There are eight defendants in the case:
- Putri Citra Wahyoe — RPTKA Hotline Officer (2019–2024) and RPTKA Verification Officer at the Directorate for Control of Foreign Worker Employment (PPTKA) (2024–2025).
- Jamal Shodiqin — Administrative Analyst at the PPTKA Directorate (2019–2024) and Junior Employment Facilitator at PPTKA (2024–2025).
- Alfa Eshad — Intermediate Employment Facilitator at the Ministry of Manpower (2018–2025).
- Suhartono — Director General of Employment Placement and Employment Opportunity Expansion (Binapenta and PKK) at the Ministry of Manpower (2020–2023).
- Haryanto — Director of PPTKA (2019–2024), subsequently Director General of Binapenta and PKK (2024–2025), currently serving as Ministerial Expert Staff for International Relations.
- Wisnu Pramono — Director of PPTKA (2017–2019).
- Devi Angraeni — Director of PPTKA (2024–2025).
- Gatot Widiartono — Coordinator for Analysis and Control of Foreign Worker Employment (PPTKA) (2021–2025).
Prosecutors stated that the defendants demanded money and goods from agents, including a Vespa Primavera 150 ABS A/T motorcycle and a Toyota Innova Reborn vehicle. The extortion was carried out to enrich these civil servants at the Ministry of Manpower.
The breakdown of alleged enrichment is as follows: Putri received Rp 6.39 billion; Jamal Rp 551.16 million; Alfa Rp 5.24 billion; Suhartono Rp 460 million; Haryanto Rp 84.72 billion plus one Innova Reborn vehicle; Wisnu Rp 25.2 billion plus one Vespa Primavera 150 ABS A/T motorcycle; Devi Rp 3.25 billion; and Gatot Rp 9.48 billion.