Regent of Tulungagung Apologises After Being Named Suspect in Extortion Case Involving 16 Officials

Tulungagung Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo (GSW) and his aide Dwi Yoga Ambal (YOG) have been officially named as suspects by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in a case of extortion against heads of Regional Device Organisations (OPD). After donning the KPK’s orange vest, Regent Gatut expressed his apologies. “I apologise,” said Regent Gatut to journalists at the KPK’s Merah Putih building in South Jakarta, as he was about to be taken to the detention vehicle on Sunday (12/4/2026). Regent Gatut and his aide Yoga were brought out from the investigators’ examination room at 00:17 WIB. Upon exiting, both were wearing KPK detention vests with their hands handcuffed. No other statements were made by Regent Gatut as he left the Merah Putih KPK building. Regent Gatut was named a suspect along with Dwi Yoga Ambal, who serves as the regent’s aide-de-camp (ADC). Regent Gatut was immediately detained for the first 20 days. KPK’s Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, Asep Guntur Rahayu, revealed that Regent Gatut demanded up to 50% of the budgets obtained by OPDs. “The demands for ‘shares’ were also made by GSW by adding or shifting budgets in several OPDs. For this budget addition, GSW demanded ‘shares’ of up to 50% of the budget value, even before the budget was disbursed or given to the OPD,” said Asep on Saturday (11/4). Asep explained that Regent Gatut also set targets in carrying out extortion against each OPD head up to Rp5 billion. The amount of money extorted by Regent Gatut from the OPD heads varied. “The total demand is around Rp5 billion. These demands were made by GSW to at least 16 OPDs within the Tulungagung Regency Government, with varying amounts from Rp15 million to Rp2.8 billion,” clarified Asep. Asep also stated that so far, Regent Gatut has collected money from the extortion results amounting to Rp2.7 billion. This money, according to Asep, was used by Regent Gatut to fulfil his personal needs. “From the total demands by GSW to the OPDs, which are at least Rp5 billion, the realisation of money received by GSW is approximately Rp2.7 billion,” Asep stated. “This money is suspected to have been used for personal interests such as buying shoes, medical treatment, meals, and other personal needs that were also requested or charged to the OPD budgets. This money was also used by GSW to provide holiday allowances to several members of the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda) in the Tulungagung Regency Government,” he concluded.