Police Name Cleric Bahar Smith as Suspect Over a Hoax Sermon
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4 January 2022 08:02 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The West Java Police special criminal investigation directorate on Monday has officially named Bahar Smith as suspect in a case involving alleged misinformation in one of the sermons he gave.
The controversial cleric had previously served a prison sentence at the Gunung Sindur special penitentiary over a hate speech sermon and was released early under an assimilation program.
The special criminal investigation director Grand Commissioner Arief Rachman said investigators obtained two pieces of evidence that incriminated Bahar as a suspect, Antaranews reported.
“Through this, investigators are able to increase the person’s legal status as suspects,” said Arief at the West Java Police headquarters on January 3.
According to police, Bahar was questioned by investigators for nearly 11 hours from Monday noon before his status as a suspect was made official just before midnight. He was immediately detained and jailed after his legal status was clear.
Police have also named another suspect in this case, which is the person who recorded the video about Bahar Smith’s sermon he gave on December 11, 2021.
Read: Alleged Child Abuser Bahar bin Smith Threatens President Jokowi
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