DENPASAR – Former Serangan Customary Village Chief (Jro Bendesa Adat), I Made Sedana, along with several former customary village officials, has filed a police complaint over alleged defamation with the Bali Regional Police (Polda Bali) on Monday (January 26, 2026).
The complaint was filed against the current Serangan Customary Village Chief, I Nyoman Gede Pariatha, who is accused of deliberately damaging I Made Sedana’s reputation through online media reports and posts on social media platforms, including Instagram.
According to I Made Sedana, an online news article published on January 13, 2026, accused him of misappropriating customary village funds amounting to Rp4.5 billion during his tenure as Serangan Customary Chief.
Sedana firmly denied the allegations, stating that the accusations were unfounded and had caused serious harm to his personal and professional reputation.
“The allegation of embezzlement that was publicly disseminated without factual basis constitutes character assassination,” I Made Sedana said after filing the report.
As a result, he and the former customary village officials decided to pursue legal action by reporting the alleged defamation to Polda Bali. The complaint has been officially registered under Public Complaint Registration Number: Dumas/171/1/2026/SPKT/Polda Bali.
Sedana emphasized that accusing someone of a criminal act and spreading it through the media is an unethical act, especially when carried out by a customary leader who is expected to uphold integrity and moral values.
“As a Jro Bendesa, one should protect harmony and truth, not spread unverified accusations that mislead the public,” he concluded. **
