Two 'Magical' Letters from Tulungagung Regent for Extorting Subordinates Revealed

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Tulungagung Regent Gatut Sunu Wibowo (GSW) as a suspect in alleged extortion against 16 heads of Regional Device Organisations (OPD) or officials. The KPK revealed that in carrying out his actions, the OPD heads in the Tulungagung Regency Government were asked to sign two agreement letters.

As summarised by detikcom on Monday (13/4/2026), before being named a suspect, Regent Gatut was caught in a KPK sting operation on Friday (10/4) last. At that time, he was secured along with a total of 18 people.

On Saturday (11/4), the KPK then only brought a total of 13 people to Jakarta. Among the 13 people brought to Jakarta were Regent Gatut Sunu and his brother, who is a member of the Tulungagung Regency DPRD, Jatmiko Dwijo Saputro. Jatmiko was also brought to Jakarta because he was at the same location as Regent Gatut when the KPK conducted the sting operation.

The KPK then named Regent Gatut as a suspect and immediately detained him. Not only Regent Gatut, his aide, Dwi Yoga Ambal (YOG), was also named as a suspect.

In the KPK examination, it was learned that the OPD heads were once called one by one by Regent Gatut after the inauguration. They were asked to sign two agreement letters.

The case began after GSW inaugurated several OPD heads in the Tulungagung Regency Government in December 2025. These officials were called one by one to sign agreement letters.

“So this is related to the inauguration of the officials, yes, OPD. After that inauguration, Mr GWS asked the officials to sign a resignation statement from the position and resignation from ASN if unable to carry out the tasks and responsibilities given. So on that occasion, a few moments after being inaugurated, they were called one by one,” said Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, during a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday (12/4/2026).

In the letter handed over, it already contained a statement that the OPD head would resign from the position and ASN if unable to carry out tasks and responsibilities. The letter was already stamped, but the date column was left blank.

In addition, Gatut Sunu handed over a letter of absolute responsibility for budget management in each work unit. Copies of the resignation letters from the OPD heads were not given by GSW.

“In addition, several other officials were also asked to sign a statement of responsibility for budget management in their respective work units. So there is absolute responsibility, the person in question is responsible for whatever budget management occurs, well, he will be fully responsible. Well, they were also asked to sign that,” said Asep.

“So there are two letters like that. The resignation from position and resignation from ASN is one letter, although the content is two. Then the absolute responsibility is one letter,” he added.

Asep said the OPD heads were called to a special room to sign the two letters. These officials were prohibited from bringing mobile phones, making it difficult to secure evidence.

“The resignation statement from position and resignation from ASN was deliberately not dated and copies were not given to the officials. So they were called to a special room, there was his aide there, asked to sign. Yes, as before, the officials were not allowed to bring HP so there was no opportunity to take photos like that, that’s it,” he said.

The KPK revealed that Regent Gatut set an extortion target of up to Rp 5 billion. However, until he was caught, Regent Gatut only managed to collect Rp 2.7 billion.

“From the total request by GSW to the OPDs of at least Rp 5 billion, the realisation of the money received by GSW is approximately Rp 2.7 billion,” Asep revealed.

Asep said at least 16 department heads in the Tulungagung Regency Government were asked for money quotas. The amounts requested ranged from Rp 15 million to Rp 2.8 billion.

The quota money was requested by Dwi Yoga as Gatut’s aide to the department heads. Dwi Yoga was assisted by Sugeng, who is also the regent’s aide.

The extortion carried out by Regent Gatut burdened his subordinates. It was revealed that the OPD heads even borrowed money and used personal funds to meet Regent Gatut’s needs.

“In the Tulungagung case, we found facts that to fulfil the regent’s request, some OPDs even borrowed funds and used personal money,” Asep explained.

Asep stated that with this phenomenon, it is not impossible that new criminal acts of corruption will emerge in the Tulungagung Regency Government environment. Because, he said, the OPD heads are open to possibilities of arranging projects to gratuities in collecting the money needed to be deposited to the Regent.

He also conveyed that basically, as a state administrator, the Regent already receives legitimate financial rights through salary and special operational funds. Therefore, there should be no need to carry out extortion actions against regional apparatus.

“Burdening personal needs outside official duties to regional apparatus or on departmental budgets is an illegal action,” Asep stated.