Police Investigate Alleged Land Encroachment in Sumbawa’s Samota Area

Sumbawa — On Oct. 30, 2026, the Regional Police of West Nusa Tenggara said a case involving alleged land encroachment in the Samota area had entered the investigation stage. Police clarified that the inquiry concerns a land dispute and alleged encroachment, not document forgery.

The case involves land for which two parties hold ownership certificates covering the same area. The police said both documents appeared valid, leaving investigators to assess whether the facts meet the elements of a criminal offense. The case also involves Ali Bin Dachlan, a former regent of East Lombok, who is reported as a party in the criminal complaint.

Why the Samota dispute matters

For foreign residents and visitors, the case illustrates why land ownership in Indonesia can involve both administrative documents and competing claims. A certificate can be presented as valid while the underlying dispute remains subject to police and court proceedings. The investigation does not establish that either certificate is forged, nor does it determine final ownership.

The disputed land had previously been the subject of a civil lawsuit, in which Ali Bin Dachlan won as the plaintiff. The separate criminal process is still examining whether investigators can rely on the civil judgment and whether an offense occurred.

Samota has also been the subject of a separate land-procurement case involving the MXGP circuit. A report by NTBSatu said prosecutors were investigating alleged money laundering connected to the sale of 70 hectares in Samota and had questioned Subhan, a former head of the National Land Agency office in Sumbawa, as a witness. That proceeding is distinct from the police investigation into the alleged encroachment.

Police said the criminal inquiry will continue to examine the land dispute and the competing certificates.

Sources

• Detik Bali — Indonesian regional news report
• lombokpost.jawapos.com
• NTBSatu — West Nusa Tenggara regional news report