List of Hattrick-Makers in KPK's Handcuff Operations in East Java Over the Past Year

Three regional heads in East Java (Jatim) have been arrested by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) within the past year, marking a hattrick of handcatch operations (OTT). The three regional heads in East Java who achieved this hattrick of KPK OTTs over the past year are Ponorogo Regent Sugiri Suncoko in November 2025, Madiun Mayor Maidi at the end of January 2026, and most recently Tulungagung Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo on 10 April. They were subsequently named as suspects after intensive examinations at KPK headquarters in South Jakarta following the OTTs. The details of their respective cases are as follows:

Gatut Sunu Wibowo

Gatut, who was caught in the OTT last week, is related to allegations of bribery in infrastructure projects and procurement of goods/services, as well as extortion of civil servants (ASN) in Tulungagung Regency. Not only that, KPK also suspects the inactive Tulungagung Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo of extorting district heads and school principals (kepsek) in Tulungagung Regency, East Java. “There are allegations of extortion carried out by the Regent (Gatut) against school parties and district parties. That is, there is a price tag for positions as school principals or district heads,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo at the office in Jakarta on Tuesday (15/4) evening. Budi said this allegation is still being investigated by the investigation team. KPK named Gatut and his aide named Dwi Yoga Ambal as suspects in the alleged extortion and other receipts case for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Both were detained at KPK’s detention centre after being named as suspects. KPK revealed that Gatut’s modus operandi involved using two forms of statements to bind his subordinates. First, a statement of resignation from position and from ASN if unable to carry out assigned duties and responsibilities. Second, a statement of responsibility for budget management in their respective work units. The resignation statement from position and ASN was deliberately made by Gatut without a date, and copies were not provided. KPK’s Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu on Saturday (11/4) evening said both statements were allegedly used by Gatut to control and pressure the officials under him. Those who are not ‘aligned’ face the threat of being removed from their positions or even resigning as ASN. “Then, GSW [Gatut] requested a sum of money from the Heads of OPD and other officials, either directly or through intermediary YOG (Dwi Yoga Ambal) as the Regent’s aide, with a total request of around Rp5 billion,” Asep revealed to the media at that time. The requests were made to at least 16 OPDs in the Tulungagung Regency Government. The amounts varied, from Rp15 million to Rp2.8 billion. These quota requests were also allegedly carried out by Gatut by adding or shifting budgets in several OPDs. Then, from the additional budget, Gatut requested his share of about 50 percent of the budget value, even before the budget was disbursed. “GSW is also alleged to have arranged the procurement process of goods and services by conditioning auction winners and directly appointing certain contractors in several work packages in OPDs,” Asep explained.

Maidi

This Madiun Mayor was arrested following a KPK operation on 21 January 2026. KPK raided Maidi’s residence and that of his trusted aide on that day. From the raid, KPK investigators found and seized several pieces of evidence allegedly related to the case of alleged extortion using the modus of project fees and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds, as well as other receipts or gratuities in the Madiun City Government environment. KPK found and seized cash amounting to Rp550 million in the silent operation. From the OTT, KPK also uncovered alleged corruption in the form of fee requests for issuing permits in the Madiun City Government environment to business actors such as hotels, minimarkets, and franchises. During the ongoing investigation, KPK has raided many places, including Maidi’s private home, Thariq’s private home, the Mayor’s Office, and several city department offices in Madiun. Many pieces of evidence related to the case, such as documents and cash, were successfully seized. In addition to Maidi, KPK also named Rochim Ruhdiyanto and the Head of the Madiun City Public Works and Public Housing Department (PUPR) Thariq Megah as suspects. KPK also examined several ASN and officials in the Madiun City Government environment related to Maidi’s case.

Sugiri Sancoko

Ponorogo Regent Sugiri was caught in a KPK OTT on 7 November 2025. KPK charged him in a case of alleged bribery for job promotions, projects at RSUD dr Harjono, and other alleged gratuities. Sugiri has undergone the first trial for the alleged corruption case at the Surabaya Corruption Court (Tipikor) on Friday (10/4). Sugiri is accused of receiving bribes related to the sale and purchase of positions and RSUD projects, as well as gratuities worth Rp5.5 billion. Alongside Sugiri, two other defendants are Ponorogo Regional Secretary (Sekda) Agus Pramono and former Director of RSUD dr Harjono dr Yunus Mahatma. The Public Prosecutor (JPU) from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in the indictment revealed the involvement of the three defendants in two main bribery schemes: securing the position of RSUD Director and the RSUD Ponorogo pavilion construction project. In the case construction, Yunus Mahatma is alleged to have paid money amounting to Rp1.25 billion in stages throughout 2025 to Sugiri and Agus Pramono so that his position as RSUD Director would not be replaced. Of that amount, Rp900 million is alleged to have gone to Sugiri, while Rp325 million was received by Agus Pramono. Not only that, Sugiri is also accused of receiving a 10 percent fee or about Rp1.4 billion from a private party named Sucipto related to the RSUD facility construction project worth Rp14 billion in the 2024 fiscal year. The JPU also revealed the fact that part of the bribe money received by Sugiri was used to pay off personal debts. The JPU explained that Yunus acted as both giver and receiver of bribes.