Banten Police Officer Charged with Five Months Prison for Assaulting Environmental Ministry Staff and Journalist

The case of alleged assault against an employee of the Public Relations department of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLH), who is also a journalist, allegedly committed by a member of the Banten Police Mobile Brigade, Tegar Bintang, is still ongoing in court. The defendant, Tegar, has been charged with 5 months in prison by the public prosecutor of the Serang Prosecutor’s Office. “The indictment for the defendant, Tegar Bintang, was read out some time ago, and he was charged with 5 months,” said the Head of General Crimes at the Serang Prosecutor’s Office, Purqon Ruhiyat, when confirmed on Tuesday (24 February 2026). Furqon stated that the defendant, Tegar, was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of violating Article 262, paragraph (2) of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code, for committing an act of violence. The defendant’s actions resulted in injuries to the victim. “As stipulated in the first indictment, which is regulated and carries a penalty under Article 262, paragraph (2) of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code,” he said. In this case, there are five civilian defendants involved: Karim, Bangga Munggaran, Ahmad Rizal, Syifaudin, and Ajat Jatnika. All five have been charged with a higher sentence of 7 months in prison. Furqon said that Tegar’s sentence was lower because there was a reconciliation with the victim. Furthermore, according to him, the victim has forgiven the defendant’s actions. “The sentence is lower because there was a reconciliation,” he said. It is known that this case of group assault and violence occurred when the journalist and the KLH were about to seal off a company in the Jawilan sub-district, Serang Regency, last August. On that occasion, the defendants attempted to obstruct the journalistic work and the public relations efforts of the ministry. This action then triggered tension between the defendants and the KLH employees and the journalist. During the tension, Tegar allegedly pinned down and kicked the victim. “The defendant kicked the victim from behind and punched the face of witness Anton Rumandi, causing the victim to fall to the ground,” said the public prosecutor while reading the indictment. Based on the Visum et Repertum conducted by the Bhayangkara Hospital TK IV Banten, the victim suffered blunt force trauma in the form of bruises on the right and left knees. However, this did not cause any disruption to the victim’s daily activities. (jbr/jbr)