Elderly Fugitive Arrested in Tambora After Nine Years on Run in Document Forgery Case
JAKARTA — The West Jakarta State Prosecutor’s Office, together with the Jakarta High Prosecutor’s Office, has arrested a convicted fugitive listed on the wanted persons register (DPO) for a document forgery case since 2017.
Nurul Wahida Rifai, head of the West Jakarta State Prosecutor’s Office, stated that the convicted man, Kho Yang Tjhi Subardi (72), was arrested in the Pekojan area of Tambora, West Jakarta on Tuesday, 10 March 2026 at approximately 18:30 WIB.
“We successfully located the convicted fugitive in the document forgery case who had been wanted since 2017, which means nearly ten years,” said Nurul in a statement to Kompas.com on Wednesday, 11 March 2026.
In this case, the suspect was found to have forged a land and building purchase agreement dated 15 March 2001 in Jalan Pejagalan Raya, Pekojan, Tambora, listing himself as the buyer.
“The suspect altered the actual property size of only 78 square metres to 278 square metres. This forged document was then used to apply for a land certificate at the National Land Agency (BPN) office in West Jakarta,” Nurul explained.
As a result, approximately 200 square metres of the victim’s land in the vicinity was transferred to the suspect’s ownership, prompting a report to the Metro Jaya Police.
“The loss comprises approximately 200 square metres of land at 2001 prices,” she said.
He was charged under Article 263 paragraph (2) in conjunction with Article 64 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code and sentenced to one year imprisonment.
“On 7 September 2017, the suspect received a verdict as stated in the West Jakarta District Court Decision Number 1097/Pid.B/2017/PN Jkt.Brt which had obtained final legal force,” Nurul explained.
He remained on the wanted persons register for nine years.
“We had actually pursued this case for a long time without success. In short, he went to receive treatment in Pontianak, and then we received information that he had returned to Jakarta,” she said.
Upon arriving in Jakarta, Kho Yang Tjhi was apprehended at his residence in the Tambora area.
At the time, residents and neighbourhood leaders were unaware that Kho Yang Tjhi lived in the house.
They also did not know that Kho Yang Tjhi was someone on the wanted persons register for evading his sentence.
After arrest, Kho Yang Tjhi was immediately taken to Salemba Correctional Institution to serve his sentence as per the court’s decision for a period of one year.
Nurul reaffirmed her commitment to resolving all remaining cases that have not been legally concluded at the West Jakarta Prosecutor’s Office fairly for all cases without exception.