Three Regional Heads in East Java Caught in KPK Sting Operations, Governor Khofifah Responds
Three regional heads in East Java (Jatim) for the 2025-2030 period have been caught in the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) hand arrest operations (OTT). The three are the Regent of Ponorogo, the Mayor of Madiun, and the most recent, the Regent of Tulungagung. East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa has spoken out regarding the matter.
Meeting after the 80th anniversary of Muslimat NU by the PW Muslimat NU DIY at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta on Sunday (12/4), Khofifah said she regretted the three regional heads in her province being implicated in corruption cases.
The Chairwoman of the Board of Trustees of the Central Leadership (PP) Muslimat NU for the 2025-2030 period stated that actually, the regional heads in East Java had previously been summoned by the KPK to maintain their integrity.
“We all actually conducted quite intensive coordination, there is a (WhatsApp) group for regional heads, also with the KPK team. And actually, the regencies and cities had been invited by the KPK to seek solutions together, it’s just the provincial government,” she said when met at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta on Sunday (12/4).
“So actually, all regencies and cities had been called one by one, our hope is certainly that everyone can maintain clean government and good governance,” Khofifah continued.
Now, Khofifah is handing over the entire legal process for her three regional heads to the KPK. “So if something like this has happened, we definitely hand it over to the legal aspect, to the KPK to find the format, this is the authority of the KPK, something like that,” she stressed.
As reported by detikJatim, since being inaugurated on Thursday, 20 February 2025, there have been three regents and mayors in East Java Province caught in KPK OTT operations. The regional heads for the 2025-2030 period are the Regent of Ponorogo, then the Mayor of Madiun, and the most recent is the Regent of Tulungagung.
First, Regent of Ponorogo Sugiri Sancoko was caught in a KPK OTT on Friday, 7 November 2025. He was arrested along with 12 others. The arrest was related to bribery in managing positions and projects at RSUD Dr Harjono Ponorogo.
In this OTT, the KPK allegedly seized a sum of cash as evidence and secured a total of 13 people, including Sugiri and related officials.
On Sunday (9/11/2025), the KPK officially detained and named Sugiri as a suspect. Sugiri was named a suspect along with three others in the alleged bribery case for managing positions, projects at RSUD Dr Harjono, and gratuities.
Second, Madiun Mayor Maidi was caught in a covert KPK operation on Monday, 19 January 2026. In this operation, 15 people were secured. The KPK stated that the case implicating Maidi was related to extortion of CSR funds and other receipts in the Madiun City Government.
In addition, the KPK also found indications of corruption in the form of fees for issuing permits in the Madiun City Government environment, particularly to business actors such as hotels, minimarkets, and franchises.
Most recently, Tulungagung Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo was ensnared in a KPK OTT along with 15 others on Friday (10/4) night. 12 people were then flown to Jakarta following Gatut.
In its statement, the KPK said the case implicating Gatut was related to extortion. However, the KPK did not explain in detail because it is still under investigation.