Harassing Dozens Of Students, Caretaker Of Islamic Boarding School In Demak Sentenced To 15 Years In Prison

A boarding school caregiver (Ponpes) with the initials MA in Demak Regency, Central Java, was found guilty of harassment against his students and sentenced to 15 years in prison. The immoral act was carried out against dozens of students in a span of years.

The Demak District Court on Wednesday afternoon, October 23, held a closed verdict hearing. During the trial, the judge rejected the defense of the defendant's attorney, MA, who submitted a request for release.

Led by the Chief Justice Obaja DJH Sitorus, the Supreme Court was sentenced to 15 years in prison and a fine of Rp. 50 million. The verdict is in line with the demands submitted by the Public Prosecutor (JPU) from the Demak District Attorney, Adi Setiawan. The Supreme Court was declared to have violated Article 82 paragraph (1), (2), and (4) of Law Number 17 of 2016 concerning Child Protection.

According to Adi, based on the testimony presented, acts of harassment were carried out from 2019 to 2023. However, only six victims were willing to testify in court, and two of them were minors.

"What burdens the defendant does not want to admit his actions. There are underage victims and the actions of the deceased tarnish the world of boarding school," Adi said after the trial.

Adi explained that the MA's mode was to ask students to massage their bodies. However, in the process, the defendant actually abused him. Apart from being forced to hold his genitals, several victims also experienced sexual violence.

One of the victim's parents, admitted that he was still annoyed with the Supreme Court. He hopes that the Supreme Court will be punished even more severely for damaging his son's future and traumatizing dozens of students.

The case of sexual abuse in Demak tarnished the world of Islamic boarding schools and shocked many. As a result, the Islamic boarding school where the defendant raised hundreds of students in the Mijen sub-district, Demak, is currently closed.