Police Exploring Information On Suspected Sexual Abuse At South OKU, Worried There Are Other Victims

JAKARTA - The perpetrator of the rape of student S (9) at a boarding school in Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) South, South Sumatra is still undergoing investigation. The examination was carried out intensively to find out if there were other victims besides S.

South OKU Police Chief, AKBP Indra Arya Yudha in Muaradua said MS (50) was named a suspect for the rape of the victim that occurred on April 21, 2021 ago.

"After sufficient evidence, on Thursday (December 30) the owner of the foundation as well as a teacher at the Islamic boarding school in South OKU Regency was officially named a suspect in the rape case against the victim who was his own student," Indra explained as quoted on Saturday, January 1.

Even though he has been named a suspect, officers are still conducting further investigations to look for additional evidence because it is feared that there are other students at the Islamic boarding school who are victims of immorality by the perpetrator's actions.

This is because the suspect, who is registered as a resident of Sidodadi, Buay Pemaca District, East OKU Regency, is a recidivist of the same case in 2006, and has served a prison sentence of one year and eight months.

"So far there is only one victim. However, this case is still under development because it is possible that there are other victims in the hostel," he said.

The police chief added that the rape case against the santri was revealed after residents of the Islamic boarding school were shocked to find the victim gave birth to a premature baby in the local Islamic boarding school's bathroom on Tuesday, December 21.

"The boarding school residents were surprised because no one knew that S was pregnant all this time, considering that the victim was known to be unmarried, so they reported the incident to the police," he said.

During the investigation, S finally admitted that he was raped by the suspect MS in a local Islamic boarding school dormitory while on holiday to welcome the holy month of Ramadan on April 21, 2021.

The condition of the dormitory, which was deserted at that time, because almost all the boarding students had returned to their respective homes, were used by the perpetrators to carry out his lecherous act of raping the victim while she was alone in her room.

"Currently, we have secured the perpetrator along with evidence in the form of a piece of sarong for further investigation. The suspect himself will be charged with Article 285 of the Criminal Code on rape with a threat of five years in prison," he said.