Misappropriating Customer Funds for Online Loans and Cockfighting, BRI Employee Faces 3.5-Year Sentence

Customer funds from Bank BRI in Karangasem worth hundreds of millions of rupiah have vanished due to embezzlement. The money was instead used to cover online loan debts and for cockfighting gambling. Now, the defendant I Ketut Tunas faces a sentence of 3 years and 6 months in prison.

The prosecution hearing was held at the Corruption Court at the Denpasar District Court on Tuesday (14/4/2026).

In the prosecution statement, prosecutor Gede Hady Sunantara stated that the defendant was not proven guilty under the primary charge but was legally and convincingly guilty under the subsidiary charge, namely violating Article 3 of the Law on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes.

“The defendant’s actions have caused state financial losses of Rp 863 million and contradict the government’s programme in eradicating corruption crimes,” Sunantara said during the hearing presided over by Chief Judge Ni Made Okti Mandiani.

For his actions, the defendant is demanded a prison sentence of 3.5 years, minus time already served in detention, and to remain detained.

Additionally, the defendant is demanded to pay a fine of Rp 50 million, with the provision that if not paid, it will be replaced with imprisonment for 50 days. The prosecutor also demands additional punishment in the form of payment of replacement money amounting to Rp 691 million.

“If the defendant does not pay the replacement money within one month after the decision gains legal force, his assets may be seized and auctioned. If insufficient, it will be replaced with imprisonment,” the prosecutor emphasised.

The case began when the defendant worked as a BRILink service officer handling public financial transactions. In practice, customer funds were not deposited with the bank but used for personal interests.

The actions took place from 2019 to 2023. A total of 13 customers became victims with total losses of around Rp 863 million.

In previous hearings, the defendant admitted to committing the acts due to economic pressure, debt traps, and gambling addiction that started from winnings in cockfighting before experiencing consecutive losses.

The hearing will continue with the defendant’s and his legal counsel’s defence (plea) at the next session.