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KPK Detains Riau Governor's Aide in Extortion and Gratuity Case
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

KPK Detains Riau Governor's Aide in Extortion and Gratuity Case

From CNN Indonesia · (2d ago) Indonesian Critical tone

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Marjani, an aide to the non-active Governor of Riau, has been detained by the KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission) for alleged extortion and/or receiving gratuities.
  • The detention is for the first 20 days, from April 13 to May 2, 2026, and Marjani is held at the KPK's detention center.
  • The case is an expansion of a previous investigation involving the former governor and other officials related to alleged illegal fee collection within the Riau Public Works agency.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has taken a significant step in its ongoing investigation into corruption in Riau province by detaining Marjani, a close aide to the former governor. This move signals the KPK's continued commitment to rooting out graft, even as the former governor himself remains under scrutiny.

The suspect is detained for the first 20 days from April 13 to May 2, 2026. The detention is carried out at the State Detention Center (Rutan) Branch of the KPK's ACLC Building (C1).

— Achmad Taufik Husein, Acting Director of Investigation at KPKAnnouncing the detention of Marjani.

The allegations against Marjani, centered on extortion and the illicit receipt of gratuities, point to a systemic issue within the Riau provincial government, specifically the Public Works agency. The case details a disturbing practice where officials allegedly demanded a 'jatah preman' or 'thug's cut' of up to 5 percent on project budgets, threatening demotion or transfer for non-compliance.

Those who do not comply with this order are threatened with dismissal or transfer from their positions. Among the Riau PUPRPKPP Agency, this request is known by the term 'jatah preman'.

— Achmad Taufik Husein, Acting Director of Investigation at KPKExplaining the alleged extortion practices within the Public Works agency.

This investigation is a continuation of a broader probe that has already ensnared several high-ranking officials. The KPK's meticulous reconstruction of the case, including alleged meetings to discuss 'fee' percentages and coded language like '7 batang' (7 sticks) to refer to payments, highlights the intricate web of corruption they are working to unravel. The seizure of foreign currency during searches further underscores the scale of the alleged illicit activities.

From the results of this closed investigation, the KPK Team secured a total of Rp1.6 billion, with details of Rp800 million from EI [Er

— Achmad Taufik Husein, Acting Director of Investigation at KPKReporting on the amount of money seized during the investigation.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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