Elected Central Lombok Candidates Allegedly Using Fake Diplomas, NTB Police Ask For Information From UI Experts

Illustration of buying and selling fake diplomas. (Between)

NTB - The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Regional Police (Polda) coordinated with the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police in handling a case of alleged use of fake diplomas for legislative candidates (caleg) elected in the Election of Members of the Central Lombok Regency DPRD with the initials LN.

Director of Criminal Investigation at the NTB Police, Kombes Pol. Syarif Hidayat explained, the purpose of this coordination is to see the handling of similar cases in other areas.

"There is a possibility that this case is not only in NTB, but also in other areas. That's why we are coordinating with Bareskrim to see what the handling is like," said Syarif in Mataram, Friday, August 23, quoted by Antara.

By conveying these developments, Syarif explained that his party had not been able to take further steps in the investigation before the results of coordination with Bareskrim.

"So, we have not been able to determine the suspect. So that it is not political," he said.

However, from the development of the handling, Syarif emphasized that investigators had found indications of unlawful acts that corroborated the use of fake diplomas.

"The investigator's opinion is that formally it is possible that there is a use of fake certificates," he said.

In addition to coordinating with Bareskrim, the NTB Police also asked for expert instructions to see the direction of the alleged crime.

"Is it a general crime in the Criminal Code, an election crime (tipilu), or a violation of the National Education System?" he said.

This expert witness comes from the University of Indonesia (UI) and the Honorary Council of Election Organizers (DKPP) of the Indonesian Bawaslu.

The elected candidate with the initials LN is one of the politicians from the United Development Party (PPP) from the Electoral Region (Dapil) IV Central Lombok.

The Central Lombok Police are handling a case of alleged use of fake diplomas in the 2024 election contestation based on reports from community groups.

In the report, LN allegedly used a fake Package C diploma issued by a foundation in Central Lombok Regency.