NTB Police Detains Suspect Spreader Of PEN Fund Hoax

MATARAM - West Nusa Tenggara Regional Police Cyber Investigators (Polda NTB) detained suspect SS, a hoax spreader regarding government assistance in disbursing funds from the National Economic Recovery Program (PEN) worth Rp. 2 trillion.

The Head of Public Relations of the NTB Police, Kombes Artanto, explained that the arrest of the suspect was a follow-up to the case file which was declared complete by the research prosecutor.

"Yes, so we will carry out the detention in question starting today," said Artanto, as quoted by Antara, Friday, April 8.

The suspect SS has been in detention since Friday (8/4) afternoon. Investigators detained him in the NTB Police Detention Room (Rutan).

Furthermore, Artanto ensured that investigators would immediately transfer suspects and evidence to the public prosecutor.

"So the handling of this case is just waiting for the delegation to the public prosecutor," he said.

The suspect SS is the head of the Rinjani Multipurpose Cooperative (KSU), who is currently facing a 10-year prison sentence.

The threat is in accordance with Article 14 paragraphs 1, 2, and Article 15 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning Criminal Law Regulations, which regulates criminal allegations of spreading false news.

In addition to these allegations, police investigators also applied Article 28 paragraph 2 in conjunction with Article 45 paragraph 2 of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 19/2016 concerning Amendments to Law of Republic of Indonesia Number 11/2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions.

For the allegation of this article is still related to the spread of false news that can cause hatred or hostility in the community.

The criminal threat from the allegation is stated in Article 45 paragraph 2 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 11/2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions with a maximum sentence of 6 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion.

Criminal threats were also alleged to SS regarding the distribution of information containing insults or defamation, in this case accusations against the government for hiding the distribution of PEN funds to the public.

The allegation is in accordance with Article 27 paragraph 3 of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 19/2016 concerning Amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 11/2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions.

For criminal threats, the maximum sentence is 6 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 1 billion, in accordance with Article 45 paragraph 1 of Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 19/2016 concerning Amendments to Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 11/2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions.

In the case file, he said, cyber investigators believe that all evidence supporting the role of the suspect with the initials SS, in his capacity as the head of the Rinjani Multipurpose Cooperative (KSU) has been completed.

The material of the case file is inseparable from the content of "YouTube" allegedly belonging to SS entitled "KSU Rinjani Press Conference". In the content, SS allegedly accused the government of hiding the distribution of PEN funds to the public.

This then became the motive for SS to mention that the KSU Rinjani distribution program, which promised assistance of three cows with a budget of Rp. 100 million for each member, was hampered.

The post, which allegedly caused a reaction from a number of members of KSU Rinjani, staged a demonstration to the NTB Provincial Government, demanding that the three cows program from the PEN funds be distributed immediately.

In this matter, Artanto confirmed that the cyber team had asked the government for clarification. The clarification was obtained since the case was still being handled at the investigation stage.

From the clarification, the government has stated that there is no such program or budget, either from the center or the regions.

Artanto said that the clarification statement from the government had been strengthened by examining data and current and future programs.

In addition to the evidence from the clarification, the determination of SS as a suspect was also strengthened by statements from experts in the field of language as well as information and electronic transactions.