Prosecutor Denies Stopping Case Against Dual-Role Temporary Teacher Due to Viral Social Media

East Java High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Jatim) denies that the decision to cease investigation into the case involving Mohammad Hisabul Huda, a temporary teacher at SDN Brabe 1 in Probolinggo who concurrently served as a Village Local Facilitator (PLD), was motivated solely by the case becoming viral.

Prosecutor’s Special Crime Assistant (Aspidsus) at Kejati Jatim, Wagiyo, emphasised that the decision to stop the case was not in response to social media attention, but was based on mature legal considerations.

“No, not because of viral status, not like that. Of course we observe media coverage in society. This case originated from a public complaint anyway. The reality is like that. So do not be mistaken. All of this involves public aspirations. Certainly we had many considerations,” said Wagiyo on Thursday (16 February).

Wagiyo explained two main points formed the basis for case closure. The first point was recovery of state financial losses. The defendant, through his family, demonstrated good faith by returning all funds in question amounting to Rp118,861,000.

“First, the loss has been recovered. The defendant through his family already returned the entire state loss,” he said.

The second point concerned the aspect of justice. Based on investigation results, the defendant’s dual employment as a village local facilitator was not motivated by malicious intent to enrich himself, but stemmed from economic hardship to make ends meet.

“The person in question did not deliberately act to enrich himself or gain profit, but solely to meet his living needs,” he said.

Furthermore, according to Wagiyo, although state losses have been returned, this does not automatically erase the criminal elements that occurred.

This is because Hisabul deliberately registered as a Village Local Facilitator by falsifying documents, including forging the school principal’s signature, the village chief’s seal, and a statement declaring he was not a permanent teacher.

During his dual employment period from 2019 to 2025, Hisabul received a monthly salary of between Rp1.2 million to Rp1.3 million as a temporary teacher, and Rp2.3 million monthly from his position as village local facilitator. His actions caused state losses of Rp118,861,000.

“It is not as though there was no criminal offence. There still is. As I said earlier, we gave consideration to this,” he said.

Previously, Hisabul, who had been designated as a suspect due to holding concurrent positions and receiving salary from both posts, had shown good faith by returning hundreds of millions in wages. His case has been closed.

Wagiyo stated that Hisabul, who was previously designated as a suspect, was freed on Friday (20 February) following suspension of his detention.

“Then on Friday last, the suspect’s detention was suspended,” said Wagiyo during a press conference at East Java High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Jatim) on Wednesday (25 February).

Furthermore, on Monday (23 February), Hisabul returned state losses resulting from his dual employment practice over approximately five years amounting to Rp118 million.

“Then the person in question on Monday last returned the amount or value of losses accumulated over that period, approximately Rp118,861,000,” he said.

Subsequently, because the issue received public attention, Kejati Jatim took over the case. Based on the case deliberation conducted that day, the case was closed.

“The High Prosecutor of East Java ordered the case be taken over. The High Prosecutor then instructed the Probolinggo Prosecutor to close this case in the interests of upholding law and justice,” he concluded.