REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Police have arrested one more suspect in the proliferation of fake news on seven containers from China with 10 million marked ballots that had been cast in Tanjung Priok, North Jakarta, in favor of incumbent President Joko Widodo-KH Ma'ruf Amin pair. Following the arrest of three buzzers, the police nabbed the content creator a week after the hoax went viral on social media.

Police identified the perpetrator as Bagus Bawana Putra (BBP), a resident of Bekasi, West Java. According to the police, BBP has fled to Sragen in Central Java, before finally being caught.

Head of Cyber ​​Crime of National Police, Police Commissioner Dani Kustoni said the suspect allegedly intentionally created and spreaded the fake news. BBP also tried to erase digital traces by changing mobile phone number and cellphone.

"Of course, the deliberate factors had been fulfilled," Dani said at Police Headquarters, in Jakarta, on Wednesday (Jan 9).

Dani explained BBP intentionally recorded the statement for convincing the community about the existance of 7 containers of marked ballots. He did it by himself, Dani said.

After the content went viral and a number of arrests made, the suspect tried to run away, Dani said. BBP is considered to have violated Article 14 paragraph 1 and 2 juncto Article 15 of Act Number 1 of 1946 concerning the Criminal Law Regulations, with the threat of being sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Earlier, three people had been arrested in a number of areas, namely HY in Bogor, LS in Balikpapan and J in Brebes. However, all three were only active disseminators, and detention was not carried out. All three were subject to article 15 of Act number 1 of 1946 with threats under 5 years in prison.

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