KPK Continues Investigation Despite Rita Widyasari's Release

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has stated that it will continue several investigations into alleged corruption cases, despite former Kutai Kartanegara Regent Rita Widyasari having been released.

“Yes, this is indeed a dilemma. However, since the investigations are already underway, we will proceed with them,” said Acting Director of Investigations at the KPK, Achmad Taufik Husein, at the KPK’s Merah Putih Building in Jakarta on Monday evening (13/4).

He stated that the KPK ensures the investigations related to Rita Widyasari will not proceed in a convoluted manner.

“At the very least, we ensure that the current investigation process is not drawn out, so that once the case file is complete, it can immediately go to trial,” he said.

Meanwhile, Achmad stated that the KPK is currently processing two investigation orders related to Rita Widyasari, namely allegations of money laundering offences and corruption by three corporations.

Previously, on 28 September 2017, the KPK named Rita Widyasari, Director of PT Sawit Golden Prima Hery Susanto Gun, and Commissioner of PT Media Bangun Bersama Khairudin as suspects in an alleged gratuities case in the Kutai Kartanegara region, East Kalimantan.

Rita is alleged to have received a bribe of Rp6 billion related to the granting of a location permit for a palm oil plantation in Kupang Baru Village, Muara Kaman Subdistrict, to PT Sawit Golden Prima.

On 16 January 2018, the KPK named Rita Widyasari along with Khairudin as suspects in alleged money laundering offences.

On 6 June 2024, the KPK revealed that it had seized 91 vehicles and various other economically valuable items, five plots of land with a total area of thousands of square metres, and 30 luxury watches from various brands during the investigation of the case.

On 19 February 2025, the KPK revealed that Rita Widyasari is also alleged to have received millions of US dollars related to coal mining, namely up to around 5 US dollars per metric tonne of coal.

A year later, on 19 February 2026, the KPK announced three corporations as suspects in an alleged gratuities case related to new coal production metric tonnes in Kutai Kartanegara. They are PT Sinar Kumala Naga (SKN), PT Alamjaya Barapratama (ABP), and PT Bara Kumala Sakti (BKS).