The witness in the case of alleged illegal levies (extortion) at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Detention Center (Rutan), Muhammad Rhamdan, admitted that he had received a total of IDR 95.6 million to keep his mouth shut and turn a blind eye regarding the existence of extortion in the detention center.
Rhamdan, who is a former KPK security officer, said that this amount of money was received from several defendants in the alleged extortion case at the KPK detention center in the 2019-2023 period in stages.
“I used the money for daily operations, but I have returned Rp. 2 million of that total and I will pay it off later,” said Rhamdan during a witness examination at the Jakarta Corruption Crime Court, today.
In detail, the money Rhamdan received included a total of IDR 4.5 million in 2019, IDR 20.1 million in 2020, IDR 30 million in 2021, IDR 36 million in 2022, and IDR 5 million in 2023.
He explained that the money was received in stages in different amounts from four KPK detention officers, namely Muhammad Ridwan, Ramadhan Ubaidillah, Muhammad Abduh and Ricky Rahmawanto.
He admitted that he did not know much about extortion in the KPK detention center, but while he was searching several prisoners at the KPK detention center, he found several prisoners carrying cell phones.
Apart from that, he said, there was also information regarding requests for fees for charging cellphone batteries belonging to detainees at the KPK Detention Center. However, Rhamdan never reported these findings to the security department.
“I was asked to close my eyes and keep my mouth shut regarding the findings,” he said.
Rhamdan testified in a case of alleged extortion or extortion of detainees at the KPK Branch Detention Center worth IDR 6.38 billion in the 2019-2023 period.
In that case, there were 15 defendants who were suspected of committing extortion or extortion from detainees.
The 15 people referred to are the Head of the KPK Detention Center for the 2022–2024 period Achmad Fauzi, Acting Head of the KPK Detention Center for the 2021 period Ristanta, and the Head of KPK Security and Order for the 2018–2022 period Hengki.
Apart from that, there were also KPK detention officers including Eri Angga Permana, Sopian Hadi, Agung Nugroho, Ari Rahman Hakim, Muhammad Ridwan, Mahdi Aris, Suharlan, Ricky Rahmawanto, Wardoyo, Muhammad Abduh, and Ramadhan Ubaidillah, who were the defendants.
The defendants committed extortion in three KPK branch detention centers, namely the KPK detention center in Pomdam Jaya Guntur, the KPK detention center in Building C1, and the KPK detention center in the Red and White Building (K4). From each KPK branch detention center, extortion collected is worth IDR 80 million every month.
The act was carried out with the aim of enriching the 15 defendants, namely enriching Deden worth IDR 399.5 million, Hengki IDR 692.8 million, Ristanta IDR 137 million, Eri IDR 100.3 million, Sopian IDR 322 million, Achmad IDR 19 million, Agung IDR 91 million, and Ari IDR 29 million. million.
Furthermore, Ridwan enriched IDR 160.5 million, Mahdi IDR 96.6 million, Suharlan IDR 103.7 million, Ricky IDR 116.95 million, Wardoyo IDR 72.6 million, Abduh IDR 94.5 million, and Ramadhan IDR 135.5 million.
Thus, the actions of the defendants are classified as criminal acts of corruption as regulated and punishable by crime in Article 12 letter e of Law (UU) Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph ( 1) 1st Criminal Code jo. Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code. (P-2)
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**Interview with Muhammad Rhamdan: former KPK security officer on the extortion case**
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Muhammad Rhamdan. To begin with, can you explain the context of the money you received and its relation to the extortion case at the KPK Detention Center?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** Thank you for having me. Between 2019 and 2023, I received a total of IDR 95.6 million from several defendants involved in alleged extortion cases within the KPK Detention Center. The money was supposed to keep me silent about the extortion practices happening around us.
**Editor:** You mentioned receiving this money in different amounts over the years. Can you break down how this occurred?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** Yes, the payments were made in stages: IDR 4.5 million in 2019, IDR 20.1 million in 2020, IDR 30 million in 2021, IDR 36 million in 2022, and finally IDR 5 million in 2023. I received this money from four detention officers whose names I mentioned during the court proceedings.
**Editor:** During the witness examination, you stated that you found detainees carrying cellphones. How does this relate to the alleged extortion?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** While searching the detainees, I discovered some had cellphones, which is not allowed. There was also talk about fees charged for charging these phones. However, I was told to ignore these findings and keep silent about what I saw.
**Editor:** You mentioned reporting these findings to your superiors. Why didn’t you feel comfortable doing so?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** At that time, I felt pressured. I was explicitly told to close my eyes to the situation, and I didn’t want to jeopardize my position by going against those orders.
**Editor:** Now that you have testified in court, what do you hope will happen next in this case?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** I hope that this testimony will lead to accountability for those involved in these practices. It’s crucial that we address corruption, especially within institutions meant to combat it. Real reform and justice can only happen when those responsible are held accountable.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Muhammad. This is a critical issue, and we appreciate your courage in coming forward.
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** Thank you for the opportunity to speak about this matter. I hope it sheds light on the serious issues occurring within the system.
**Editor:** Thank you for joining us today, Muhammad Rhamdan. To begin with, can you explain the context of the money you received and its relation to the extortion case at the KPK Detention Center?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** Thank you for having me. Between 2019 and 2023, I received a total of IDR 95.6 million from several defendants involved in alleged extortion cases within the KPK Detention Center. The money was meant to keep me silent about the extortion practices happening around us.
**Editor:** You mentioned receiving this money in different amounts over the years. Can you break down how this occurred?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** Yes, the payments were made in stages: IDR 4.5 million in 2019, IDR 20.1 million in 2020, IDR 30 million in 2021, IDR 36 million in 2022, and lastly, IDR 5 million in 2023. I received this money from four detention officers whose names I provided during the court proceedings.
**Editor:** During the witness examination, you stated that you found detainees carrying cellphones. How does this relate to the alleged extortion?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** While searching the detainees, I discovered that some had cellphones, which is strictly prohibited. There were also discussions about fees being charged for charging these phones. However, I was instructed to ignore these findings and keep silent about what I observed.
**Editor:** You mentioned that you didn’t report these findings to your superiors. Can you elaborate on why that was the case?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** I was pressured to turn a blind eye and not report anything I found. It created a culture of silence, where anyone who spoke out could face serious consequences. That fear kept me from escalating the issue.
**Editor:** Looking back, how do you feel about your involvement in this situation?
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** It’s difficult. I utilized some of the money for daily expenses, but returning part of it has been a part of my effort to make amends. I regret not acting sooner, but the environment made it incredibly challenging.
**Editor:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Muhammad. The situation raises serious concerns about the integrity of the KPK Detention Center. We appreciate your time.
**Muhammad Rhamdan:** Thank you for having me. It’s essential for the integrity of our institutions that such practices are brought to light.
