Three NTB Council Members Deny 'Ghost Money' Allegations in Court

Three members of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Regional House of Representatives (DPRD) have collectively denied allegations of distributing money to other legislators. The defendants — Hamdan Kasim, Indra Jaya Usman (IJU), and Muhammad Nashib Ikroman — refuted the claims during their examination at the Mataram Corruption Court on Wednesday (24 June 2026).

“It is not true (that I gave money to several DPRD NTB members),” the three defendants stated in turn in the courtroom.

Defendant IJU was the first to deny the accusations. According to the prosecutor’s indictment, the Democratic Party politician allegedly gave Rp 200 million each to six DPRD NTB members. “I never gave them any money,” he insisted.

Similarly, defendant Hamdan Kasim dismissed the testimony of council members who claimed to have received money from him. “It is not true,” he said. The Golkar Party politician was accused of giving a total of Rp 450 million to members Lalu Irwansyah, Harwoto, and Nurdin.

Defendant M. Nashib Ikroman also denied all statements from fellow legislators who said they received money from him. “I never gave any money,” stated the Perindo Party politician. The indictment alleges he handed Rp 150 million to Wahyu Apriawan Riski, Rp 200 million to Rangga Danu Mainaga Aditama, Rp 150 million to Hulaimi, Rp 150 million to Ruhaiman, Rp 150 million to Salman, and Rp 150 million to Muliadi, totalling Rp 950 million.

Presiding Judge Dewi Santini pressed the defendants on their claims, but all three maintained that the witnesses’ statements were false. “That is not true,” the defendants repeated.

The alleged distribution of money within the DPRD NTB originated from the Desa Berdaya (Empowered Villages) programme, a priority initiative of NTB Governor Lalu Muhammad Iqbal. The programme was allocated a budget of Rp 76 billion from a gubernatorial directive, intended for newly elected DPRD NTB members for the 2024-2029 period.