KPK suspects staffer deleted chats in Pemalang Regent extortion case

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspects that an administrative staff member, Setya Budi Dias, used a feature to automatically delete chat conversations while communicating with his father, Lilik Budi Suprianto. This alleged action is believed to be connected to Dias leaking confidential information about corruption in Pemalang Regency, Central Java, to his father.

Achmad Taufik Husein, the Acting Director of Investigation at KPK, stated that this suspicion is one of the reasons Dias was named a suspect in an extortion case within the Pemalang Regency government. "Besides the testimony from the regent and his confidant, and from LBS, the suspect's father, who provided consistent facts between testimonies, documents, and electronic evidence," Husein said.

Husein explained that investigators discovered the use of the auto-delete feature after seizing Dias's mobile phone. During the analysis, investigators found irregularities, including the use of this feature, which was not present in Dias's other conversations with KPK staff or other parties. The KPK believes Dias exploited his position as an administrative staff member to provide his father with information about an ongoing corruption case in Pemalang being handled by the KPK.

Dias and his father are among four suspects named in the case. The others are Pemalang Regent Anom Widiyantoro and his confidant, Mohamad Haris. The KPK alleges that Lilik Budi Suprianto used the information provided by his son to extort Regent Anom Widiyantoro regarding the handling of the case. When questioned by media, Dias remained silent, while Regent Anom apologized for his actions.