Involve Children During Campaign, Candidates In Purworejo Sentenced To 3 Months In Prison

Prospective members of the Purworejo Regency DPRD Muhammad Abdullah underwent a trial at the Purworejo District Court, Central Java, Monday (29/1/2024). ANTARA/HO-Kejari Purworejo

PURWOREJO - Purworejo District Court, Central Java, sentenced a candidate for the Purworejo Regency DPRD, Muhammad Abdullah, to 3 months in prison in a case of alleged election crime.

Head of the Intelligence Section of the Purworejo District Attorney's Office (Kejari) Isssandi Hakim said the decision of the panel of judges chaired by Agus Supriyono was lighter than the prosecutor's demand for 6 months in prison.

In addition to corporal punishment, he said, the defendant was also sentenced to a fine of Rp. 6 million which if not paid, would be replaced with imprisonment for 1 month.

"The defendant was proven to have violated Article 493 of Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning General Elections," said Issandi as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 29.

The NasDem Party politician was proven to have carried out a campaign involving minors.

The campaign was carried out by the defendant by distributing videos through social media.

In the judge's decision, he continued, there was no order to cross out the defendant's name from the list of permanent candidates (DCT) for members of the Purworejo Regency DPRD.

Based on this decision, both the public prosecutor and the defendant expressed their thoughts.

According to Issandi, there is still 3 days for the prosecutor and the defendant to take further legal action.

Previously, a candidate for member of the Purworejo Regency DPRD Muhammad Abdullah was named a suspect in an election criminal case by the Purworejo Integrated Law Enforcement Center.

Abdullah is suspected of campaigning through videos on social media by involving minors.