Former Two-Term Regent of North Minahasa Arrested in Timika, Previously Fugitive in Corruption Case

The Fugitive Capture Team (Tabur) of the North Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office, in collaboration with the Mimika District Prosecutor’s Office, has apprehended the former two-term Regent of North Minahasa, identified by the initials VAP, in Mimika Regency, Central Papua.

VAP was detained at a hospital in Timika on Sunday, 30 August 2026. He is a suspect in an alleged corruption case concerning the purchase of land for the expansion of the Walanda Maramis Regional Hospital (RSUD) in North Minahasa Regency.

The Head of the Intelligence Section of the Mimika District Prosecutor’s Office, Norbertus Dhendly Restu Prayogo, stated that the apprehension was carried out after receiving information from the North Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office regarding VAP’s presence in Timika.

“After receiving information from the Intelligence Team of the North Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office that the individual was known to be in Timika to attend an event,” he said in Timika on Monday, 31 August 2026.

The Mimika District Prosecutor’s Intelligence Team had been monitoring VAP’s movements since Saturday, 29 August 2026. Once his location was confirmed, the team moved to secure him at a hospital in Timika.

Following his detention, VAP was transported to Manado to undergo further legal proceedings. He departed from Timika on Monday at approximately 13:40 WIT via aircraft.

The operation was led by the Assistant for Intelligence of the North Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office, Eri Yudianto, alongside the Head of the Mimika District Prosecutor’s Office, Putu Eka Suyantha.

VAP was previously named a suspect by the North Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office in relation to the alleged corruption regarding the land purchase for the expansion of the Walanda Maramis Regional Hospital. The suspect designation was made on 13 August 2024. However, VAP subsequently became a person on the most wanted list (DPO) of the North Sulawesi High Prosecutor’s Office on 12 September 2024.

According to calculations by the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK), the alleged corruption case resulted in state financial losses amounting to Rp19.763 billion.

With VAP’s apprehension in Timika, the former regional head has now been brought to Manado to face further legal processes regarding the charges against him.