Sodimejo said he was born in 1870 (Picture: EPA)

The man believed to be the oldest in the world has died in Indonesia.

Sodimejo had ID showing he was born in 1870, but was not the ‘official’ world’s oldest person as records did not begin in the country until 1900.

Even so, he gained fame for his great age, and local people said he was telling the truth about his birth.

Known as Mbah Ghoto (grandpa Ghoto), was taken to hospital on April 12 over his health deteriorating, but insisted on going home six days later.


Mbah Gotho with his ID claiming to be 146 years old (Picture: Dasril Roszandi/NurPhoto)

Relatives gather near the coffin of Sodimejo (Picture: EPA)

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‘Since he came back from the hospital, he only ate spoonfuls of porridge and drank very little,’ his grandson Suyanto told the BBC.



‘It only lasted a couple of days. From that moment on to his death, he refused to eat and drink.’

In his long life, he outlived all his children, 10 siblings and four wives.

He asked to go home from hospital (Picture: Barcroft)

Families and relatives attend his funeral ceremony (Picture: Barcroft)

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He was a heavy smoker until his last days, and said the secret to his longevity was patience and having people who loved him caring for him.

The oldest person ever recorded with verified documents is Jeanne Calment, a French woman who was 122 when she passed away in 1997.