KPK Probes Receipt and Management of Funds by Fikri Thobari
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is delving into the receipt and management of funds by Muhammad Fikri Thobari during his tenure as Regent of Rejang Lebong, Bengkulu.
KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo explained that this investigation is being conducted by the anti-corruption agency through the examination of several witnesses on 7 April 2026.
“For the cluster of witnesses who are close associates or trusted individuals of the regent, the KPK is confirming details regarding the receipt and management of funds by the regent, which are suspected to originate from private parties serving as implementers of goods and services procurement in the Rejang Lebong Regency Government,” Budi stated to journalists in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Additionally, Budi said the KPK is investigating the procurement of goods and services within the Rejang Lebong Regency Government, Bengkulu, during Fikri Thobari’s time as the regional head.
“Witnesses from the Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing, and Settlement Areas Department (Dinas PUPRPKP) cluster were questioned by investigators about the procurement of goods and services in their respective fields, which is suspected to involve the appointment of project implementers based on instructions from the suspect,” he added.
The witnesses examined by the KPK for this investigation include the Head of General Administration of the Rejang Lebong PUPRPKP Department, Amin Jaya; Head of Housing Division of the Rejang Lebong PUPRPKP Department, Luhur Budi; Head of Roads Division of the Rejang Lebong PUPRPKP Department, Roni Saputra; Head of Water Resources Division of the Rejang Lebong PUPRPKP Department, Andi Irawan; and Head of Public Works Division of the Rejang Lebong PUPRPKP Department, Fani Soelintara.
Also examined were the Head of Regional Infrastructure Development Division of the Rejang Lebong PUPRPKP Department, Yusuf Wahyudi Barli; Head of Personnel Sub-section of the Rejang Lebong PUPRPKP Department, Santri Ghozali; Head of Sub-section for the Regional Technical Implementation Unit for Waste Processing in Rejang Lebong, Talata Jimy Ariko; Secretary of Rejang Lebong Regency, Iwan Sumantri; and the driver of the Regency Secretary, Dian.
On 10 March 2026, the KPK brought the Regent and Deputy Regent of Rejang Lebong, along with seven others, to Jakarta for intensive examination.
On the same date, the KPK also announced Muhammad Fikri Thobari as one of five suspects in an alleged criminal corruption case in the form of bribery.
The KPK announced the identities of the suspects on 11 March 2025, namely Muhammad Fikri Thobari (MFT), Head of the Public Works, Spatial Planning, Housing, and Settlement Areas Department of Rejang Lebong, Hary Eko Purnomo (HEP), Irsyad Satria Budiman (IRS) as a private party from PT Statika Mitra Sarana, Edi Manggala (EDM) as a private party from CV Manggala Utama, and Youki Yusdiantoro (YK) as a private party from CV Alpagker Abadi.
They are suspects in alleged bribery kickbacks for projects within the Rejang Lebong Regency Government, Bengkulu, for the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
The KPK suspects that Fikri Thobari demanded bribe money or project rewards of around 10-15 percent from the three private parties so as to have funds that were planned to be distributed as Eid al-Fitr allowances (THR) for his constituents.