Tax Embezzlement Case at Kupang Revenue Agency Expands, Four PPPK Personnel Involved
The tax embezzlement case at the Kupang City Revenue Agency (Bapenda) in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) continues to expand. The number of perpetrators has increased to four after the team uncovered three other government employees on contract (PPPK) suspected of involvement.
Kupang City Secretary Jeffry Pelt stated that the investigation is ongoing, even though one of the perpetrators, Wesly Kale (WK), has admitted his actions and signed a Letter of Absolute Responsibility (SKTJM) to return more than Rp 500 million in state losses within 20 days.
“From the preliminary deepening results so far, a tax embezzlement network at Kupang City Bapenda has been uncovered. Based on the preliminary report, there are an additional three PPPK personnel also involved,” explained Jeffry on Wednesday (29/4/2026).
Jeffry has not disclosed the identities of the three PPPK personnel. However, he assured that all four involved employees have been relieved of their tax collection duties. They have also been transferred to the Kupang City Personnel, Education, and Training Agency (BKPPD) to facilitate the examination.
“There are three people involved, so we have temporarily pulled them because we found that during the examination, they were still doing it,” he added.
He further noted that the number of perpetrators could potentially increase. Currently, several civil servants (ASN) within the Bapenda environment are also being examined.
Jeffry emphasised that the Kupang City Government is committed to resolving the case. Even if the culprits return the embezzled proceeds according to the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK RI) report, their actions cannot be tolerated and will proceed to the legal realm.
“It is not out of the question to go that way,” he asserted.
He also assured that the potential state losses could increase along with the deepening investigation.
“I ask the Agency Head to deepen it further; our goal is that if there are 10 people, we expose them. Because this greatly disrupts the work climate and influences others to follow suit,” he explained.
Previously, suspicions of regional tax embezzlement amounting to more than Rp 500 million by PPPK personnel at Kupang City Bapenda began to surface. Of that amount, only Rp 100 million has been returned so far.
The employee with initials WK is known to be a PPPK serving at Bapenda.
The case came to light following public complaints about tax payments not accompanied by receipts from Bapenda officials, which was then followed up through the first-stage examination.
“For the first stage, the person in question has already signed the SKTMJ (Letter of Absolute Responsibility) worth more than Rp 500 million. That was the first stage we examined for one person with initials WK; he is a PPPK,” explained Kupang City Secretary Jeffry Pelt on Saturday (25/4/2026).