Retired Police Officer Undergoes Child Rape Trial in Surabaya District Court

SURABAYA - The former Bandung Police Chief, Commissioner (Ret.) Ignatius Soembodo (IS), underwent a trial in the case of child rape at the Surabaya District Court (PN). The retired officer is suspected of raping his foster child with the initials SK, who is none other than his own friend's biological son with the initials BS.

"So, this BS entrusted his child with the initials SK since he was a baby, to his friend named Soembodo. Now, SK just told him about the rape he experienced when he was 14 years old", said Public Prosecutor (JPU) Nur Laila, after a closed trial at the Surabaya District Court, Monday, October 10.

Nur said that since being entrusted to Soembodo, SK has lived in the retired policeman's house in the Jambangan area, Surabaya City. The rape was carried out by the defendant Soembodo when he saw his foster child sleeping in his room. While being cared for by Soembodo, BS as SK's biological father had difficulty meeting his biological child.

The father and son were only able to meet in August 2018 after complaining to the East Java Women and Children Protection Task Force (PPA). At that time, PPA officers took SK to his school, at which time the victim was already a teenager.

"During his stay at the defendant's house, the victim witness often received treatment, and harsh words and sexual harassment or sexual harassment by the defendant up to several times,", he said.

BS, who was presented as a witness yesterday with his son, SK, in the trial when confirmed, said that his son was entrusted to Soembodo when he was seven months old. He cannot take care of himself because his wife the initials SW, who is none other than SK's mother, is depressed.

"Soembodo offered to take care of himself. I believe because he has been a friend since he knew him in 1988 when he was still serving as the Badung Police Chief", said BS when confirmed.

BS promised to take his child again when he was three years old. While being treated by Soembodo, BS claimed to have routinely sent money to Soembodo for his son's living expenses. However, recently BS was forbidden to meet his biological child. Soembodo asked for an unreasonable amount of up to Rp20 billion if BS wanted to take his son.

BS was finally able to meet his biological son when he was 14 years old, assisted by PPA people in 2018. During the meeting, SK told about the rape he had experienced. Until now he is 18 years old, and SK is said to still feel traumatized.

"Soembodo has done this since my son was five years old", he said.

Meanwhile, the lawyer for the defendant Soembodo, Amos Don Bosco, did not explicitly say whether the defendant really raped his foster child or not, as stated by the prosecutor and witness statements.

"Whether it really happened or not, we will see that later in court", said Amos.