Remember The Bahar Smith Hoax Case? Now The Case Has Been Transferred To The Bandung District Court

Lecturer Bahar Smith while attending an examination call at the West Java Regional Police. ANTARA/Good Ahmad Rizaldi

BANDUNG - The West Java High Prosecutor's Office (Kejati) has transferred the case file for the spread of false news or hoaxes with the alleged preacher Bahar Smith to the Class 1A District Court (PN) Bandung, West Java, Monday, March 21.

With this delegation, said Head of the Legal Information Section of the West Java Prosecutor's Office, Dodi Gazali Emil, the Bahar Smith hoax case is ready to be tried immediately.

"At around 13.00 WIB at the Bandung District Court Class 1 A Special, the transfer of the general criminal case file (P-31) has been carried out," said Dodi, as quoted by Antara.

Apart from Bahar, the files of another suspect named Tatan Rustandi were also transferred. Tatan is suspected of being the uploader of a video containing the spread of false news by Bahar Smith.

They are suspected of violating Article 14 paragraph (1) and paragraph (2) and Article 15 of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning the Criminal Law Regulations and/or Article 28 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 45A paragraph 2 of Law no. 19 of 2016 concerning Amendments to Law No. 11/2008 concerning Information and Electronic Transactions jo. Article 55 paragraph (1) number 1E of the Criminal Code. Initially, the trial of the case would be held at the Bandung District Court (Bale Bandung) because the location for the spread of the hoax was allegedly in Bandung Regency. However, he continued, with the delegation, the Bahar case trial is now scheduled to be held at the Bandung District Court, which is located in the city of Bandung.

The transfer of the location of the trial venue, he said, refers to the Decree of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia Number: 75/KMA/SK/III/2022.

Based on the letter, Dodi is worried that the security and public order situation in Bandung Regency will have an effect.

In addition, the Bandung District Court Class 1A is deemed to meet the requirements to be determined or appointed as a place to examine and decide on Bahar's criminal case.

Bahar Smith was named a suspect in a hoax case on Monday (3/1) night after Bahar was questioned at the West Java Regional Police for around 9 hours. In addition, Tatan Rustandi was also named a suspect because he was suspected of being the originator of a video containing hoaxes by Bahar.