Jokowi Degree Lawsuit: KKN Witnesses Testify in Solo Court
- Solo, Indonesia – Tuesday, February 3, 2026 – Testimony continued in the citizen lawsuit challenging the validity of former Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s diploma at the State Court...
- Today’s session featured three witnesses, two of whom were Jokowi’s classmates during a community service program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata or KKN) in Desa Ketoyan, Kecamatan Wonosegoro, Kabupaten Boyolali.
- Ritje Dwidjaja testified that he first met Jokowi in 1985 during the KKN program, which ran from March to mid-June 1985.
Jokowi Faces Court Testimony in Diploma Lawsuit
Solo, Indonesia – – Testimony continued in the citizen lawsuit challenging the validity of former Indonesian President Joko Widodo’s diploma at the State Court of Solo. The case, registered as PN-SKT 28082025GIR, centers on questions surrounding Jokowi’s educational background and its implications for his past presidency.
Today’s session featured three witnesses, two of whom were Jokowi’s classmates during a community service program (Kuliah Kerja Nyata
or KKN) in Desa Ketoyan, Kecamatan Wonosegoro, Kabupaten Boyolali. The witnesses are Ritje Dwidjaja, from the Faculty of Biology at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), and Yohana Bergmans Sudarwati, from the Faculty of Law at UGM. The third witness was Muh Karno, the son of the village head of Ketoyan during Jokowi’s KKN assignment.
Ritje Dwidjaja testified that he first met Jokowi in 1985 during the KKN program, which ran from March to mid-June 1985. He identified Jokowi as a participant from UGM’s Faculty of Forestry, alongside Eko Susilo Adi Utomo from the Faculty of Geodesy and Yohana Bergmans Sudarwati from the Faculty of Law.
The lawsuit was initially filed by Top Taufan Hakim and Bangun Sutoto, both UGM alumni, through the Solo City District Court. Their attorney, Muhammad Taufiq, stated the lawsuit is based on the public’s right to accurate information regarding public officials. According to Taufiq, the dispute over Jokowi’s diploma extends beyond his personal life and touches upon the principle of accountability for state leaders. “The CLS was filed because it concerns the public’s rights. The public has the right to be assured that public officials, especially the president, have a correct and valid educational track record,” Taufiq said on .
The plaintiffs have named not only Jokowi as a defendant, but also UGM Rector Ova Emilia, Vice Rector for Education and Teaching Wening Udasmoro, the Indonesian National Police, and UGM itself as co-defendants. They argue that previous attempts to clarify the matter of Jokowi’s diploma have been insufficient, leading them to pursue legal action through a Citizen Lawsuit (CLS).
Jokowi’s attorney, YB Irpan, stated that his team is currently reviewing the lawsuit. Irpan also noted that Jokowi’s current status as a private citizen—no longer a state administrator—needs to be considered when evaluating the basis of the lawsuit. “Mr. Jokowi now has the status of an ordinary citizen with the same standing as us. He has no authority as a state administrator,” Irpan said.
The court proceedings began on , examining both the diploma claims and a separate lawsuit concerning an unfulfilled promise Jokowi made during his time as mayor of Surakarta to support the mass production of the locally made Esemka car. Jokowi has reportedly dismissed questions about his academic credentials as slander and has not publicly presented his original diploma certificate.
On , the court heard testimony from three witnesses presented by the plaintiffs, described as academics, advocates, and content creators: Mikhael Sinaga, Komardin, and Bagas Pujilaksono Widyakanigara.