Jakarta. Riau Governor Abdul Wahid appeared in handcuffs wearing the orange detainee vest of Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency on Wednesday as the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) officially named him a suspect in a graft case following his arrest two days earlier.

Abdul was detained along with nine others, most of them officials from the Riau provincial government. The KPK later named three suspects, while the remaining six were released.

He is accused of extortion and self-enrichment by inflating the provincial road and bridge project budget from Rp71.6 billion to Rp177.4 billion ($4.3 million to $10.6 million), said KPK Deputy Chairman Johanis Tanak at a press conference in Jakarta.

Alongside Abdul, the KPK also charged Arief Setiawan, head of Riau’s Public Works Department, and Dani Nursalam, a gubernatorial adviser, in the same case.

“After an intensive investigation, supported by sufficient evidence of a criminal act, the KPK has named three individuals as suspects -- AW, MAS, and DAN,” Johanis said, referring to the initials of the accused.

During the raid, investigators confiscated cash in rupiah, US dollars, and British pounds worth around Rp1.6 billion ($96,000), believed to be linked to the alleged bribery scheme.

Abdul allegedly forced public works officials to pay him kickbacks after he inflated the province’s infrastructure budget, Johanis said.

The case is particularly concerning as he is now the fourth Riau governor to be arrested on corruption charges. His three predecessors were all convicted and sentenced to prison in separate graft cases.

“This year, another Riau governor has again been named a suspect and arrested by the KPK,” Johanis said at a press conference. “It seems corruption persists despite our continued prevention efforts.”

He urged regional leaders to treat the case as a warning to strengthen governance and uphold integrity. “This moment should serve as a reminder to all public officials to prioritize public interest above personal gain,” Johanis said.

According to KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo, investigators found that Abdul had repeatedly received cash payments before his arrest earlier this week. “The operation was carried out after several previous handovers of money. Before his arrest, the suspect is believed to have accepted multiple payments,” Budi said.
 

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