Facts of the New Student Admission Extortion Case That Ensnared Unsoed Rector
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has uncovered an alleged extortion case related to new student admissions, reportedly involving the Rector of Jenderal Soedirman University (Unsoed), Akhmad Sodiq. Acting Director of Investigation at the KPK, Achmad Taufik Husein, said the alleged extortion occurred during the independent admission process at Unsoed’s Faculty of Medicine.
KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that the alleged extortion involved hundreds of millions of rupiah and a layered scheme. Achmad Taufik Husein explained that Unsoed’s independent selection required students to pay a Single Tuition Fee (UKT) and an Institutional Development Fee (IPI) at varying rates according to their respective groups. At the Faculty of Medicine, for example, UKT ranged from Rp7.1 million to Rp17 million, while IPI ranged from Rp100 million (IPI 1) to Rp260 million (IPI 4).
However, during the independent admission process, the KPK found evidence of alleged corruption in the form of extortion and gratification. The additional costs arising from these levies, beyond the mandatory UKT and IPI payments, were deemed highly burdensome for prospective students. Taufik detailed that an initial unofficial payment of Rp650 million was demanded from the parents of a prospective student by Unsoed Vice Rector III Norman Arie Prayoga, with the knowledge of Akhmad Sodiq as Rector, through two intermediaries, Dian Mulia Wardhana and Adhi Wiharto, who are private parties.
The demand was met by the prospective student’s parents. However, after the money was handed over to Dian Mulia Wardhana and Adhi Wiharto, the student was declared to have failed the selection. When the parents requested a full refund, the money had already been used by Dian Mulia Wardhana and Adhi Wiharto for personal purposes. They reported the matter to Norman Arie Prayoga, who then informed Akhmad Sodiq, and the group decided to borrow money from a private party to refund the parents.
To repay the loan, Norman Arie, through Dian Mulia, Adhi Wiharto, and Mulyono, a private party and nephew of Akhmad Sodiq, promised payment through the disbursement of three project packages at Unsoed: the procurement of a canopy, renovation of a canteen, and building painting. The work was carried out by a company owned by Mulyono. Mulyono was given gratification by Akhmad Sodiq in the form of at least Rp680 million. Akhmad Sodiq also allegedly instructed Mulyono to pay for the purchase of three plots of land, which were then registered under Mulyono’s name.
Taufik also revealed that Eko Sumanto, Head of Academic Affairs at Unsoed, communicated with a party who gathered prospective students. In that communication, Eko, with Akhmad Sodiq’s knowledge, negotiated a ‘dowry’ with the gatherer during the independent admission process. After agreeing on the ‘dowry’, Eko Sumanto received money from the gatherer totalling Rp1.12 billion during the 2025-2026 period. Eko reported the receipt to Akhmad Sodiq, who then gave Eko access to his user ID to authorise or approve prospective students who had paid.
The KPK has named six suspects in the case: Unsoed Rector Akhmad Sodiq, Vice Rector III Norman Arie Prayoga, Head of Academic Affairs Eko Sumanto, and three private parties, Dian Mulia Wardhana, Adhi Wiharto, and Mulyono. The six suspects are charged under Article 12 letter e or Article 12 B of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with Article 20 letter (c) of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code. The KPK has detained the suspects for an initial 20 days from 21 August to 9 September 2026 at the KPK’s Red and White Building Detention Centre.