KPK Suspects Efforts to Co-opt Witnesses in Pati Regent Extortion Case
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has questioned two witnesses in relation to an alleged extortion case involving the appointment of village officials for desa perangkat candidates that implicates Pati Regent Sudewo. Both were questioned because the KPK suspects they were gathering other witnesses to coordinate their statements.
The two witnesses are Sudiyono (SDY), the Head of Angkatan Lor Village, and Noor Eva Khasanah (NEK), the Head of Administration at Tambakromo Public Health Centre (Puskesmas Tambakromo), Pati. The questioning took place on Wednesday, 4 March 2026.
“Investigators are examining the witnesses Mr/Ms NEK, who is a civil servant as Head of the TU Subsection at Tambakromo Puskesmas, and SDY, who is the Head of Angkatan Lor Village,” KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo told journalists on Thursday, 5 April 2026.
“The investigators are probing the alleged actions by these two witnesses who attempted to gather other witnesses and co-ordinate their statements,” he added.
The KPK considers such actions could hinder the ongoing investigation. The witnesses were asked to cooperate and provide truthful statements.
“For this reason, we urge other witnesses to cooperate, providing truthful and complete statements to investigators during questioning,” he stated.
In this case, the KPK has named four suspects, one of whom is Pati Regent Sudewo. The KPK suspects Sudewo charged candidates for desa perangkat Rp125-150 million.
That tariff was subsequently increased by his subordinates to Rp165-225 million for each candidate for desa perangkat. The KPK has seized a total of Rp2.6 billion in connection with the case.
Sudewo also formed a team named “Tim 8”, consisting of Sudewo’s campaign team.
The identities of the four suspects in the Pati village official extortion case are:
Sudewo, as Pati Regent for the 2025-2030 term
Abdul Suyono, as Head of Karangrowo Village, Jakenan District
Sumarjiono, as Head of Arumanis Village, Jaken District
Karjan, as Head of Sukorukun Village, Jaken District