Flooring Guide by Cinvex – The actions of three individuals identified as members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) serve as a stark warning against misconduct.
These three individuals conspired to extort Rp 30 million from a regional transport driver. During their operation, they falsely claimed to be police officers and proceeded to apprehend prospective Indonesian migrant workers (TKI) traveling with the driver.
The incident, which transpired on November 7, 2025, saw the victim, identified as AI (20), a driver ferrying passengers from Bulukumba Regency to Barru, stopped by two perpetrators in Panciro Village, Bajeng District, Gowa Regency. The perpetrators questioned AI about his passengers, to which he responded that they were bound for Kalimantan and subsequently Malaysia for employment as migrant workers.
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Exploiting this information, the two perpetrators then masqueraded as police officers, claiming to be on duty to arrest individuals involved in human trafficking (TPPO). The victim was subsequently taken to a post belonging to a community organization (ormas) on Jalan Swadaya, Sungguminasa. There, AI was coerced into paying Rp 50 million for his release, under threat of being taken to Gowa Resort Police (Polres Gowa) for legal processing.
“I was asked for Rp 50 million there, but I couldn’t afford it. Eventually, it was negotiated down to Rp 30 million after they [the perpetrators] coordinated with ‘Pak Kanit’,” AI recounted when confirmed at the Gowa Resort Police headquarters on November 10, 2025.
Feeling cornered, AI transferred the Rp 30 million to the account of a woman identified by her initials, HM (27). Following the payment, AI promptly reported the extortion to the Gowa Resort Police, initiating a swift investigation.
The Jatanras Team of Gowa Resort Police, under the leadership of Ipda Aditya Pamungkas, launched an extensive case development. Their efforts quickly yielded results.
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On November 8, 2025, at approximately 11:00 PM Central Indonesian Time (WITA), police successfully apprehended NT (55) on Jalan Swadaya, the very location where the extortion took place. Officers secured Rp 3 million in cash as evidence. NT was identified as the individual referred to as ‘Pak Kanit’ during the negotiation. Further arrests followed, with HM (27) being apprehended on Jalan Sultan Alauddin, Makassar, on November 10, 2025, around 3:00 AM WITA.
Interrogations of NT and HM revealed a crucial detail: the three men who initially stopped the victim were not police officers but rogue TNI personnel, identified as Prada FA, Prada FI, and Prada YO. “We apprehended three civilians whose involvement was not active; they merely received compensation from the extortion or simply accepted the transfer of money from the victim,” explained AKP Bachtiar, Head of Criminal Investigation Unit at Gowa Resort Police, confirmed via telephone on November 10, 2025, citing Kompas.com. Bachtiar further elaborated, “The money was subsequently transferred to the main perpetrators.”
The three implicated TNI members underwent examination at the Kodim 1409/Gowa Headquarters before being handed over to the Military Police (Pomdam) XIV/Hasanuddin in Makassar for further proceedings. “The matter has already been handed over to the Pomdam,” stated Dandim 1409/Gowa, Lieutenant Colonel Inf Heri Kuswanto, in a short message also on November 10, 2025, underscoring the seriousness with which this military misconduct is being addressed.
Summary
Three rogue Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) members impersonated police officers to extort Rp 30 million from a transport driver on November 7, 2025, in Gowa Regency. The driver, AI, was stopped while ferrying prospective migrant workers and falsely accused of human trafficking. He was coerced into transferring the money to secure his release after threats of legal processing.
Following AI’s report, Gowa Resort Police arrested two civilians, NT and HM, involved in receiving the extorted money. Further investigation identified three active TNI personnel, Prada FA, Prada FI, and Prada YO, as the primary perpetrators of the scheme. These implicated military members have since been handed over to the Military Police (Pomdam) XIV/Hasanuddin for appropriate legal proceedings.