Terrifying Tactics: Tulungagung Regent Extorts His Subordinates

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Regent of Tulungagung, Gatut Sunu Wibowo, is said by the KPK to have employed terrifying methods against his regional apparatus subordinates, leaving the officials unable to refuse his demands. Here is how it worked!

KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu stated that Gatut used resignation letters signed by the heads of regional apparatus organisations (OPD) without dates as his extortion tool.

“Frankly, this is something new for us too; we’ve just discovered it. From the start, it was locked in. First, he would try to protect himself with an absolute responsibility statement, and second, to control these people so they would follow what he did, what he wanted. He controlled them with resignation letters as OPD heads,” Asep said at the Merah Putih Building in Jakarta on Saturday (11/4/2026).

He explained that those who could not meet Regent Gatut’s demands could be dismissed immediately.

“For example, whenever that happens, the date is just filled in, and that statement letter takes effect, right? This is very terrifying,” he said.

The blank date on the letter terrified officials because it could be filled in at any time as the deadline for dismissing officials who refused to comply with Gatut’s wishes.

“We are very disturbed by what was conveyed or the practices carried out by Mr GSW,” he added.

“If they refuse, they can be dismissed or resign on that very day. So if that letter is issued or shown to the public or the wider audience, it appears as though they resigned themselves as OPD heads, as officials. And also as civil servants. This is no small matter,” he continued.

Not only that, Asep revealed that the Regent’s aide, Dwi Yoga Ambal, routinely collected money from OPD heads.

Gatut’s terrified subordinates sought every way to meet the money demands from Gatut, even resorting to borrowing.

“We found facts that to fulfil the Regent’s demands, some OPDs even borrowed funds and used personal money,” Asep said.

In this case, the KPK has named Tulungagung Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo and his aide Dwi Yoga Ambal as suspects related to the extortion case in the Tulungagung Regency government on Saturday (11/4/2026).

Gatut is alleged to have pressured OPD leaders in the Tulungagung Regency government environment after the official appointment process.