TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - A civil servant (ASN) has become a suspect in an extortion case at Class II B Sleman Penitentiary, also known as Cebongan Prison. The extortion took place from November 2022 to December 2023. Currently, the ASN with the initials 'MRP' has been temporarily suspended from his position.

"During the investigation, we believe there has been a case of corruption at the prison. So, we have designated the suspect with the initials MRP," said Chief of Criminal Investigation Unit of Sleman City Police Resor, Commissioner Riski Adrian, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024.

The police concluded that the suspect's actions met the elements of a crime after interrogating 53 witnesses and one criminal expert.

This case was investigated starting in December 2023, after the Criminal Investigation Unit of Sleman Metropolitan Police received information about alleged extortion, assault, and threats within the prison. After a series of examinations, this case was eventually raised to an investigation status in July 2024 with the suspect being MRP.

"We faced difficulties in obtaining accurate data on how many inmates were victims because the extortion by the suspect had been going on for about a year from November 2022 to December 2023," said Adrian.

The suspect's modus operandi involved extorting inmates through threats, physical violence, and demanding money up to tens of millions of rupiah.

The total extortion by the suspect from November 8, 2022, to November 16, 2023, amounted to Rp730 million. The breakdown included welcome money ranging from Rp1.5 million to Rp5 million, room payments from Rp1 million to Rp7 million, special room payment of Rp50 million, and weekly installments ranging from Rp100,000 to Rp200,000 per person.

MRP received the extortion money in cash and transferred it to the bank account of a former inmate's wife. "So there are two modus operandi, in cash and to the bank account. The bank account belongs to the wife of one of the released inmates," said Adrian.

All the extortion money was used to meet MRP's personal needs.

From this Cebongan Prison extortion case, the police seized evidence such as CCTV screens, documents, cell phones, laptops, and proof of money transfers.

Adrian stated that MRP was charged under Article 12 of Law Number 20 of 2001 on Corruption Eradication. "The suspect faces a minimum of 4 years and a maximum of 12 years in prison," he said.

The Head of Sleman Prison, Kelik Sulistyanto, stated that MRP has been temporarily dismissed from his duties as a civil servant. However, the extortion suspect still receives 50 percent of his rights. "As for the sanctions, we are still awaiting the final decision from the court," he said.

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