Hoaks Case, Bahar Smith Sued 5 Years In Prison

The defendant in the case of spreading false news, Bahar Smith, listened to the demands of the public prosecutor at the Bandung District Court, Bandung City, West Java, Thursday (28/7/2022). ANTARA/Good Ahmad Rizaldi.

BANDUNG - The Public Prosecutor from the West Java High Prosecutor's Office demanded that Bahar Smith be sentenced to five years in prison for a case allegedly containing hoaxes during a lecture.

The prosecutor assessed that Bahar was legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act by jointly committing an act by broadcasting false news by deliberately causing trouble.

"Requesting the panel of judges to impose a sentence on Habib Assayid Bahar bin Smith alias Habib Bahar bin Ali Bin Smith with a reduced prison sentence of five years while the defendant is in detention," said the Public Prosecutor, chaired by Suharja, at the Bandung District Court, The city of Bandung, West Java, was reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 28.

Prosecutors assessed that Bahar's lecture, which was suspected of containing hoaxes, caused pros and cons in the community. The lectures that allegedly contained hoaxes were related to Rizieq Shihab who was imprisoned for holding the Prophet's Birthday, and related to the torture of six FPI soldiers.

In addition, the prosecutor also said that there were a number of aggravating and mitigating factors in the charges against Bahar. The thing that makes it easier is that Bahar has family responsibilities.

"The aggravating thing is that the defendant's actions are disturbing the community and they don't feel guilty," said the prosecutor.

The prosecution submitted the claim based on the primary indictment, namely Article 14 paragraph 1 of Law Number 1 of 1946 concerning the Criminal Law Regulations in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.

Bahar is suspected of delivering a lecture containing the hoax in the Bandung Regency area, West Java, in December 2021. Then Bahar was named a suspect by the West Java Police in January 2022.