Travel Agency Owner and Civil Servant Named Suspects in Kepri Pesparawi Ticket Embezzlement Case

Police have named two individuals as suspects in a fraud and embezzlement case that caused the Riau Islands (Kepri) contingent for the Church Choir Festival (Pesparawi) to fail to depart for the national event in Manokwari. The two suspects are a travel agency owner and a civil servant (ASN).

“We have named two suspects, namely Mr VE and Mr HE. The process is currently ongoing as we are still completing the case files to be submitted to the public prosecutor,” said the Head of Public Relations of the Riau Islands Regional Police, Senior Commissioner Nona Pricillia Ohei, on Friday (10/7/2026).

Suspect VE is the owner of a travel agency, while suspect HE is a civil servant who assisted in procuring the tickets. A total of 26 witnesses have been examined before investigators named the two as suspects.

Nona explained that the contingent originally scheduled to depart for Manokwari consisted of 64 people, comprising 27 women and 21 men, along with 16 officials. The reported loss in this case amounts to IDR 1,016,300,000.

The investigation revealed that the funds totalling IDR 1,016,300,000 transferred by the LPPD to VE’s account were not used as intended for the purchase of departure tickets.

“The modus operandi was that the money totalling IDR 1,016,300,000 was transferred to Mr VE’s account. Subsequently, IDR 700 million was sent to HE for ticket purchases, but part of it was used to settle other matters. They had personal problems. The remainder was also used for the personal interests of the individuals concerned,” she explained.

Police stated that suspect HE also enjoyed the proceeds of the ticket embezzlement. A portion of the money was used by both suspects to pay off debts.