Police Reveal Cases Of Exploitation Of Children To Guide Karaoke Songs In West Lombok

PHOTO VIA BETWEEN

MATARAM - The Mataram City Police, West Nusa Tenggara, has revealed a case of alleged exploitation of children who were employed as song guides at a karaoke cafe in Suranadi, West Lombok Regency.

Mataram City Police Chief Kombes Heri Wahyudi said four underage women had been arrested as victims, including the alleged perpetrator of child exploitation with the initials IQ (46).

"The alleged perpetrator is a woman from Monjok, Mataram City. She was arrested when she was at her home, Tuesday (5/4)," said Heri, quoted by Antara, Wednesday, April 6.

Disclosure of this case started from public information. The police followed up by visiting the karaoke cafe in early March 2022.

From the examination, it was revealed that four of the six song guides were still children. This was also confirmed by their identity checks and confessions.

The role of IQ is also suspected as their host. This allegation was strengthened by the findings of evidence in the form of a payment note that recorded the fee for the song guide's services. The nominal is Rp. 150 thousand. "From the Rp. 150,000, the perpetrators get a share of Rp. 50,000," he said.

However, in these activities, the police did not find IQ. Instead, he is thought to have fled after learning about police activities.

"So the perpetrator had fled outside the area and was only arrested yesterday at his home," he said.

Now IQ has been named a suspect under the suspicion of Article 76i and/or Article 88 of the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 35/2004 concerning Amendments to the Republic of Indonesia Law Number 23/2002 concerning Child Protection with a threat of 10 years in prison.