Cilacap Education Officials Continued to Pay THR Levies to Regional Leadership Following KPK Sting
Several officials from the Cilacap Regency Education and Culture Office continued to submit contributions for holiday allowance (THR) purposes following a sting operation (OTT) by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on 13 March 2026.
This was revealed during the corruption trial of the inactive Regent of Cilacap, Syamsul Auliya Rachman, at the Semarang Corruption Court on Tuesday (1/9). Several witnesses from the Cilacap Education and Culture Office were called to testify.
Budi Kuspriyatno, Head of the Early Childhood and Basic Education Division at the Cilacap Education and Culture Office, stated that his division was required to contribute Rp35 million towards the THR levies for the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda).
According to him, this amount was charged to the head of the department, the department secretary, heads of divisions, and heads of sections. Once an agreement was reached, the required contribution was initially advanced by the department secretary.
“It was initially advanced by the Secretary, and then the heads of divisions and sections handed their portions to the Secretary,” he said during the trial presided over by Chief Judge Rosana Irawati, as reported by Antara.
Budi stated that the heads of divisions and sections were gathered by the department secretary on the afternoon of 13 March 2026, following the KPK sting operation. During that meeting, the secretary collected the THR levy portions that had been previously advanced.
“It was collected by the Secretary. As far as I know, everyone then immediately handed their part to the Secretary,” he said.
Budi admitted to handing over Rp2 million to the department secretary on 17 March 2026, four days after the KPK operation.
Similar testimony was provided by Ratna Harminingsih, Head of the Teacher and Education Personnel Development Division at the Cilacap Education and Culture Office. Ratna confirmed that a meeting took place on 13 March 2026 after the KPK sting.
She admitted to continuing the payments because it had been agreed upon and as a form of loyalty to the leadership. She noted that, at that time, the details regarding the KPK’s sting operation in Cilacap were not yet known.
The KPK conducted the sting operation in Cilacap Regency on 13 March 2026, detaining 27 individuals, including the Regent of Cilacap, Syamsul Auliya Rachman.
The KPK subsequently named Syamsul Auliya Rachman and the Regional Secretary of Cilacap, Sadmoko Danardono, as suspects in alleged extortion and other illegal receipts within the Cilacap Regency Government for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
In the ongoing case at the Semarang Corruption Court, Syamsul is accused of forcing the leaders of regional apparatus organisations within the Cilacap Regency Government to provide funds for THR requirements. The prosecution alleges that the total amount collected from these regional leaders reached Rp568 million.