Governor Ridwan said he did this for administrative reasons. He explained that the bribery case was at the trial stage and as governor he had to give Sunjaya “his political rights” in line with the law and a Home Ministry regulation on regional leaders.

In June 2018, the election results showed that incumbent Sunjaya and running mate Imron Rosyadi had won the election.

However, in October last year, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) arrested him in a sting operation for alleged bribery for top official positions in his administration.

Along with him, the KPK arrested Gatot Rachmanto, then-secretary for the Cirebon Public Works and Spatial Planning Agency. The judges will deliver their decision on May 22 at the Bandung Corruption Court. The KPK seized nearly Rp 386 million (US$26,652) in the operation.

Prosecutors demanded seven years imprisonment and a Rp 400 million fine.

Shortly after the operation, Sunjaya was dismissed as regent and the government appointed Dicky Saromi as acting regent.

Sunjaya was supposed to start his second term in March. However, the Home Ministry postponed his inauguration after the general election.  

The ceremony is in line with Article 164 in Law No. 10/2016, Ridwan said. “The article is about a regent elect who has been named a defendant during an inauguration ceremony. They would get inaugurated but immediately after be dismissed as regent,”  the governor said.

Sunjaya got a permit to attend his brief inauguration from the corruption court's judges.

Ridwan later inaugurated Imron as acting regent. The governor told Imron to support the central government’s plan to develop Cirebon, Patimban in Subang and Kertajati in Majalengka as a special economic zone.

After the ceremony, Sunjaya returned to a detention center under a heavy police escort.