Cilacap Regent Caught in KPK Sting Operation, Third During Ramadan 1447 H
The KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission) confirmed the arrest of the Cilacap Regent during a sting operation, according to KPK Deputy Chairman Fitroh Rochahyanto, who made the statement to ANTARA from Jakarta on Friday.
Under criminal procedure law, the KPK has 24 hours to determine the legal status of those arrested in the operation, including the Cilacap Regent, who serves as the regional head in Central Java Province.
This arrest marks the third significant operation during Ramadan 1447 H, following a series of anti-corruption activities throughout 2026. The KPK’s first sting operation of the year occurred on 9-10 January 2026, when eight individuals were arrested in connection with alleged bribery in tax inspections at the North Jakarta Medium Tax Office under the Directorate General of Taxes at the Ministry of Finance, covering the 2021-2026 period.
The second major operation took place on 19 January 2026, when the KPK arrested Madiun Mayor Maidi. On 20 January 2026, the anti-corruption commission announced Maidi as a suspect in alleged corruption involving extortion with project compensation schemes, corporate social responsibility fund manipulation, and other unlawful gratification within the Madiun City Government in East Java.
On the same date, 19 January 2026, the KPK conducted a third operation, arresting Pati Regent Sudewo. The following day, on 20 January 2026, the KPK designated Sudewo as a suspect in alleged extortion related to village apparatus position appointments within the Pati Regency Government in Central Java.
The fourth operation occurred on 4 February 2026, targeting the Banjarmasin Medium Tax Office in South Kalimantan. The arrests were related to alleged irregularities in tax refund processes at the office.
Also on 4 February 2026, the KPK announced a fifth operation concerning the importation of counterfeit or substandard goods. Among those arrested was Rizal, the former Director of Enforcement and Investigation at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise under the Ministry of Finance, who was serving as Head of the West Sumatra Customs Regional Office.
A sixth operation was disclosed on 5 February 2026, involving alleged corruption in a land dispute settlement spanning 6,500 square metres within the Depok District Court in West Java. The KPK designated as suspects the Chairman of Depok District Court I Wayan Eka Mariarta, Deputy Chairman Bambang Setyawan, and the Director of PT Karabha Digdaya, a subsidiary of the Ministry of Finance.
The seventh operation was announced on 3 March 2026, during Ramadan. The KPK designated Pekalongan Regent Fadia Arafiq as the sole suspect in alleged corruption related to outsourcing services procurement and other acquisition matters within the Pekalongan Regency Government for the 2023-2026 fiscal years.
An eighth operation also occurred during Ramadan, with the KPK on 10 March 2026 arresting and subsequently designating Rejang Lebong Regent Muhammad Fikri Thobari as a suspect in alleged bribery related to projects within the Rejang Lebong Regency Government in Bengkulu for the 2025-2026 fiscal years.