Durian. Stage actress and activist Ratna Sarumpaet, 60, was sentenced to two years in prison by three judges at the South Jakarta District Court on July 11 for spreading fake news.
The actress, who was member of defeated presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto’s national campaign team, fabricated news that she was attacked by unidentified people in Bandung, West Java. The news went viral in early October last year.
She sent the information to other supporters of Prabowo who later spreading the news in their social media accounts. The information went viral and Prabowo also made comment regarding the information, calling police to investigate the incident that happened to one of his campaign team member.
From initial investigation, police found that Ratna fabricated the information and her swallowed face was not because of attack by unidentified people but due to plastic surgery.
Ratna apologized to public for creating and spreading the fake news.
Panel of judges that was led by Judge Joni said defendant Ratna was proven guilty of creating and spreading fake new which caused public unrest.
Therefore, judges did not find specific motive behind Ratna’s action.
The sentence is lower than public prosecutors’ demand of six years in prison.
“Sentencing defendant Ratna Sarumpaet for two years of imprisonment,” Judge Joni read the verdict.
