How Did the Suspect Learn to Forge Driving Licences for Cahaya Trans Drivers?
Police have named a man identified as Herry Soekirman or HS (60) as the suspect behind the production of forged driving licences for the driver who killed 16 people in the Krapyak toll road crash in Central Java. Herry Soekirman is known to possess skills in information technology.
“HS completed an undergraduate degree at a private university in Jakarta. So he has capabilities related to IT,” said Semarang Metropolitan Police Chief Commissioner M Syahduddi during a live broadcast on the Semarang Metropolitan Police YouTube account on Wednesday (18/2/2026).
Herry also taught himself editing techniques. He then produced forged driving licences according to clients’ specifications.
“He self-taught himself editing techniques using Photoshop, which he then used to create or modify driving licences according to the requests of people who contacted him,” Syahduddi said.
Herry is known to have carried out the scheme at least 10 times, producing illegal driving licences on demand.
“Based on the suspect’s confession, he has produced or edited driving licences approximately 10 times according to the requests of various individuals who contacted him,” said Syahduddi.
In this particular case, suspect Herry Soekirman altered the data on a genuine driving licence to match the specifications requested by suspect Gilang — namely a B1 General category licence. Gilang paid Herry Soekirman Rp 1,300,000 for the production of the forged licence.
“Gilang, based on his confession, provided funds of Rp 1,300,000 for the production of the illegal licence,” Syahduddi said.
Three individuals have been named as suspects in connection with the forged licence. In addition to Gilang and Herry Soekirman, a suspect named Mustafa Kamal has been identified for his role in facilitating and profiting from the illegal licence scheme.
As previously reported, investigators from Semarang Metropolitan Police also named Ahmad Warsito or AW, the President Director of PT Cahaya Wisata Transportasi, as a suspect in the Cahaya Trans bus accident case. Suspect AW is alleged to have failed to perform his supervisory function over the company’s operations.
Furthermore, suspect AW was aware that the bus did not possess a route permit and lacked proper oversight, yet still authorised its operation despite staff and the head of company operations having reported that the bus lacked both a route permit and a monitoring card.
Police also urged transport owners, operators and route permit holders to guarantee the safety of passengers using their services, as passenger numbers on public transport are expected to surge in the coming weeks during the Eid al-Fitr homecoming period.
Police expressed hope that traffic accidents — particularly those resulting in mass fatalities among passengers — would not be repeated.
“We remind all public transport owners and operators to fully comply with regulations, standard operating procedures and prevailing laws. What we have conveyed today demonstrates our commitment to delivering justice for all parties in connection with the accident that occurred some time ago,” Syahduddi said.