After 12 Years on the Run, West Kutai Clean Water Corruption Convict Finally Captured in Samarinda

The flight of Sarpius bin Embung, a convict in the corruption case involving the construction of clean water facilities in West Kutai Regency, East Kalimantan, has come to an end. A joint prosecution intelligence team captured him in the Samarinda area.

Sarpius was apprehended in the early hours of Thursday (1/10/26) at approximately 00:15 WITA. The arrest was carried out through an intensive tracking operation by the Intelligence Reform Innovation Task Force of the Attorney General’s Office, alongside the Intelligence Team of the East Kalimantan High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Kaltim) and the local District Prosecutor’s Office (Kejari).

“The apprehension of the fugitive in the clean water facilities corruption case was executed by the joint intelligence team in the early hours of Thursday,” said Toni Yuswante, Head of the Legal Information Section of the East Kalimantan High Prosecutor’s Office.

Sarpius is a 46-year-old man from Kampung Bermai, Damai District, West Kutai. He is a convict in a corruption case involving a clean water infrastructure project carried out during the 2007 fiscal year.

“The corruption case involving the convict is closely related to the clean water infrastructure construction project for the 2007 fiscal year,” stated Toni.

The project, located in Kampung Bermai and Kampung Besiq, had a total budget allocation of Rp505.11 million. However, the physical works were not fully completed, leaving four dug wells in Kampung Bermai unfinished.

“As a result of the failure to complete the physical works, the state suffered financial losses of Rp84.61 million based on the audit results,” Toni added.

Sarpius’s case previously resulted in an acquittal at the appeals stage, prompting the Public Prosecutor to file an appeal (cassation) to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court granted the cassation request and handed down a sentence to Sarpius.

The cassation ruling imposed a prison sentence of one year and a fine of Rp50 million, or alternatively, three months of imprisonment. The convict is also required to pay restitution for state losses amounting to Rp84.61 million, or alternatively, three months of imprisonment.

Following his arrest in Samarinda, Sarpius was handed over and temporarily detained at the Samarinda District Prosecutor’s Office. He is currently being prepared for detention at the Class IIA Samarinda Prison. The East Kalimantan High Prosecutor’s Office has ensured that the pursuit of other fugitives on the Most Wanted List (DPO) will continue.