Internal Church Leadership Conflict via Social Media in Bandung Escalates to Police Report
Peace within the congregation of a church in the Sumur Bandung area of Bandung City has been disrupted following an internal dispute that has escalated to legal proceedings. The Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) of Bandung Police has formally established a church official with initials BS as a suspect in an alleged defamation and libel case against a fellow congregant.
The case, which stemmed from the breakdown of harmonious digital communication, began with a report filed by JB, also a member of the same church congregation. BS, who serves as a church administrator and member of the church council, now faces legal action after investigators gathered sufficient evidence of distributing defamatory statements through the WhatsApp messaging application.
According to police data, the dispute emerged during congregation activities held at Jalan Van Deventer Number 11, Kebon Pisang District, Bandung City, on Sunday, 20 July 2025. BS allegedly sent messages in the group chat that were deemed damaging to JB’s dignity, eventually resulting in a police report numbered LP/B/1467/X/2025/SPKT/Polrestabes Bandung.
The Head of Criminal Investigation at Bandung Police, Senior Police Commissioner Anton, through the Investigation Unit Chief AKP I Dewa Putu, confirmed that the case status has advanced to the investigation phase. “The report is currently being handled by the Investigation Unit of the Criminal Investigation Division of Bandung Police,” Dewa Putu said when contacted on Monday (9 March).
The establishment of the suspect serves as a reminder to the public, particularly religious organisations, to exercise greater prudence in their digital media interactions. Investigators have applied multiple charges to prosecute BS’s actions, namely Article 27A of Law Number 1 of 2024 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions (ITE).
Additionally, Articles 433 or 434 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code (KUHP) relating to defamation and libel have been applied. Police have emphasised that the case handling has been conducted professionally and proportionally.
Investigators are continuing to examine the impact of the messages and have questioned several witnesses to complete the case file before submission to the District Attorney’s Office of Bandung City.
This case adds to the growing list of personal disputes that have escalated to legal proceedings due to uncontrolled use of electronic media. Police urged the public to always prioritise communication ethics to avoid legal violations.