7 Latest Facts as Bus Company Director Named Suspect in Deadly Krapyak Toll Road Crash
A fatal bus crash involving PO Cahaya Trans at the Krapyak Toll Road Exit Interchange in Semarang claimed the lives of 16 passengers. Both the bus driver and the Director of PT Cahaya Pariwisata Transportasi have been named suspects on grounds of alleged negligence leading to the disaster.
The accident occurred at the Krapyak Toll Road Exit Interchange in Semarang on Monday 22 December 2025. Of the 34 people on board the bus, 16 were pronounced dead whilst 18 survived.
The Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team of the Central Java Regional Police Medical Division identified all 16 fatalities. Police have also conducted case proceedings and named suspects on suspicion of negligence.
Investigations revealed that the bus carrying the victims did not hold a route permit. Furthermore, the driver had minimal experience, having only been tested on manoeuvring the bus in and out of the depot before being immediately assigned to carry passengers.
The following are seven key facts surrounding the fatal Krapyak toll road bus crash:
1. Bus Driver Named as Suspect
Police conducted case proceedings relating to the fatal PO Cahaya Trans bus crash that killed 16 people at the Krapyak Toll Road Exit Interchange in Semarang. The bus driver, Gilang (22), was named a suspect.
“This afternoon, investigators also conducted case proceedings to designate the driver of the Cahaya Trans bus involved in the accident as a suspect,” said Semarang Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner Muhammad Syahduddi on Tuesday 23 December 2025.
“We have examined four witnesses — those who saw the incident, those who experienced it, and surviving passengers who sustained minor injuries. We have taken statements from four individuals,” Syahduddi said.
The suspect has been charged under Article 310 Paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of Law Number 22 of 2009 on Road Traffic and Transport, carrying a maximum prison sentence of six years.
2. Cahaya Trans Bus Director Also Named as Suspect
Semarang Metropolitan Police named the Director of PT Cahaya Pariwisata Transportasi, Ahmad Warsito, as a suspect in the crash case. Ahmad is alleged to have been negligent, contributing to the accident.
“Investigators have designated AW, as the Director or owner of the bus company, as a suspect,” said Semarang Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner Syahduddi at a press conference in Semarang on Wednesday 18 February 2026.
He outlined several aspects of Ahmad’s role leading to his designation as a suspect. First, Ahmad failed to perform supervisory functions over the operations of PT Cahaya Pariwisata Transportasi.
“Second, he was aware that the bus operating the Bogor–Yogyakarta route did not hold a route permit or supervision card (KPS), yet still authorised operations despite staff and the head of operations having reported to the suspect that the bus lacked both a route permit and KPS,” he said.
The bus had been serving the Bogor–Yogyakarta route since 2022, despite never holding a route permit. “Since 2022, it has been operating the Bogor–Yogyakarta route illegally,” he said.
There were also violations of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP): the bus driver Gilang was using a forged Class B1 General driving licence. Ahmad, as the company owner, did not provide driver training.
“The procedure was merely that the driver could park the bus in the depot, after which the driver was immediately instructed to operate the bus carrying passengers on the Bogor–Yogyakarta route without any prior testing,” he said.
The suspect Ahmad also failed to equip the bus with safety equipment as required by the Ministry of Transport, including the absence of seatbelts on passenger seats.
3. Bus Driver Only Tested on Parking
PO Cahaya Trans bus driver Gilang (22) was named a suspect in the fatal Krapyak toll road crash in Central Java that killed 16 people. It emerged that the Cahaya Trans driver had only been tested on manoeuvring the bus in and out of the depot.
“The company owner did not conduct proper driver training; the procedure was merely that the driver could park the bus in the depot,” said Semarang Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner M. Syahduddi on Wednesday 18 February 2026.
During the familiarisation exercise, Gilang immediately drove the bus carrying passengers. He had already driven the bus with passengers on board several times.
“The driver was immediately instructed to operate the bus with passengers without any prior testing,” Syahduddi explained.
4. Bus Operating Illegally Since 2022
Semarang Metropolitan Police stated that the Cahaya Trans bus involved in the crash that killed 16 people on the Krapyak toll road in Central Java had been operating illegally, as it had lacked a route permit since 2022.
“He was aware that the bus on the Bogor–Yogyakarta route did not hold a route permit or supervision card (KPS), yet still authorised operations despite the head of operations having reported this to the suspect AW,” said Commissioner Syahduddi.
“The Bogor–Yogyakarta route has been operating since 2022, yet to this day there is no route permit, and no documents relating to route permit applications have been found. PT Cahaya Wisata Transportasi has therefore been operating illegally on the Bogor–Yogyakarta route since 2022,” he continued.
Syahduddi revealed the cause of the accident was negligence. The driver recruitment process came under scrutiny for failing to follow procedures.
“The Semarang Metropolitan Police Traffic Unit’s investigation found the cause of the accident was human error. The suspect AW did not establish SOPs for bus driver recruitment, including verification of licence authenticity — noting that to obtain a Class B1 General licence, one must first hold a Class A licence, and this should have been verified with the relevant authority,” he said.
5. Irregularities Found with Cahaya Trans Bus
The Semarang Metropolitan Police Traffic Unit presented findings from the investigation into the fatal Cahaya Trans bus crash at the Krapyak Toll Road Exit Interchange in Semarang in December last year. Police discovered irregularities including discrepancies in the bus’s chassis number and the driver’s licence being forged.
“There were discrepancies between the number plate and the chassis and engine numbers of the crashed bus, and the permits supposedly held by the company were not actually in its possession,” said Semarang Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner M. Syahduddi at a press conference at his office on Wednesday 18 February.
Syahduddi stated that the Class B1 General licence held by the bus driver differed from those issued by the Semarang Metropolitan Police Traffic Unit. The driver’s Class B1 General licence turned out to be forged.
Of the 12 buses owned by the company, only four held supervision cards from the Ministry of Transport. The bus involved in the Krapyak toll road crash did not hold a supervision card.
“PT Cahaya Wisata Transportasi owns 12 buses. Of those, only four hold supervision cards for the Palembang–Blitar route. The remaining eight buses do not hold KPS permits, including the one involved in the Semarang traffic accident,” he added.
6. Driver’s Licence Was Forged
Semarang Metropolitan Police investigators confirmed that the Class B1 General licence belonging to Cahaya Trans bus driver Gilang Ihsan Faruq or GIF (22) was forged. Gilang and two others have now been named suspects in connection with the forged licence.
Semarang Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner M. Syahduddi stated that Gilang’s licence was recorded as having been issued by the Padang Metropolitan Police Traffic Unit. Upon verification, the licence under Gilang’s name was found not to be registered at the Padang licensing centre.
“Forensic laboratory test results confirm that the Class B1 General licence in the name of GIF is non-identical, meaning it is a different printed product,” said Syahduddi.
Based on these findings, on 1 February 2026, investigators named Gilang Ihsan Faruq as a suspect under Article 392 Paragraph 2, which states: “any person who uses a document whose contents are untrue or falsified.”
Investigators developing the case identified other perpetrators who produced the forgery: Herry Soekirman (HS) and Mustafa Kamal (MK). Both were named suspects on 15 February 2026 under Article 392 Paragraph 1: “any person who commits forgery of an authentic document.”
“Regarding the case of possession of a licence not in accordance with regulations, Semarang Metropolitan Police investigators have named three suspects. First, GIF, who was also the driver of the bus involved in the crash that killed 16 people. Second, HS, who played the role of creating and editing the licence held by suspect GIF. Third, MK, who assisted suspect HS and profited from the illegal licence production process,” he said.
Herry Soekirman, the suspect who produced the forged licence for Gilang Ihsan Faruq, the Cahaya Trans bus driver involved in the crash that killed 16 people on the Krapyak toll road, had reportedly carried out such forgeries approximately ten times, producing illegal licences on demand.
“Based on the confession of suspect HS, he has produced or edited licences approximately ten times, according to the requests of various individuals who contacted him,” said Syahduddi.
In his operations, suspect Herry Soekirman altered data on genuine licences according to suspect Gilang’s request — specifically a Class B1 General licence.
The price charged by Herry Soekirman for producing forged licences was revealed through suspect Gilang Ihsan Faruq’s confession. Gilang paid Herry Soekirman Rp 1,300,000.
“Gilang himself, based on his confession, paid Rp 1,300,000 for the production of the illegal licence,” he said.
Three people were named suspects in connection with the forged licence. Besides Gilang and Herry Soekirman, suspect Mustafa Kamal played a supporting role and profited from the illegal licence production process.
Police noted that Herry Soekirman possessed IT skills. Having completed a bachelor’s degree at a private university in Jakarta, he taught himself editing techniques using Photoshop, which he then used to create or edit licences according to the requests of those who contacted him.
7. Majority of Fleet Lacks Route Permits
The Director of PT Cahaya Wisata Transportasi, Ahmad Warsito, has been named a suspect in connection with the bus crash that killed 16 people on the Krapyak toll road in Central Java. The company owns a fleet of 12 buses, the majority of which lack route permits and roadworthiness certificates.
“Of the 12 buses owned by PT Cahaya Wisata Transportasi, eight do not hold route permits or roadworthiness certificates. Only four — if I’m not mistaken, those on the Palembang–Blitar route — have permits, but all those on the Bogor–Yogyakarta route lack both route permits and roadworthiness certificates,” said Semarang Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner M. Syahduddi during a live broadcast on the Semarang Metropolitan Police YouTube channel on Wednesday 18 February 2026.
PT Cahaya Wisata Transportasi was established in 2022. The bus involved in the Krapyak toll road crash in December 2025 had never had its route permit or roadworthiness certificate processed.
“Since the company began operations — it purchased older companies and then commenced operations in 2022 — to this day, the route permit and roadworthiness testing for the vehicle involved in the crash have never been processed,” he said.