8 Years Fugitive In Child Abuse Case, Martinus Eko Finally Arrested By The Riau Islands Prosecutor's Office

The Tabur Team of the Riau Islands Prosecutor's Office and the Attorney General's Office Way Kanan, Lampung arrested a fugitive in the sexual abuse case who escaped after being sentenced to 5 years in prison, Thursday (31/10/2024). ANTARA/HO-Penkum Kejati Kepri

The team for arresting fugitives (Tabur) of the Riau Islands High Prosecutor's Office has arrested Martinus Eko Widodo, a convicted child who has been a fugitive since his decision was inkrah (with permanent legal force) at the Supreme Court in 2016.

"The convict has been on the run since 2016 and was only caught yesterday," said Head of the Legal Information Center (Kasipenkum) of the Riau Islands Attorney General's Office, Yusnar Yusuf, confirmed in Batam, Antara, Friday, November 1.

Terpidana ditangkap di rumahnya di Kampung Karang, Kabupaten Way Kanan, Provinsi Lampung adap Kamis, oleh Tim Tabur Badan Intelligence Kejati Kepri Bersama Tim Intelligence Kejari Way Kanan.

Based on the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia Number: 1181 K/Pid.sus/2015 dated March 22, 2016, which stated that Martinus was legally and convincingly proven guilty of committing a criminal act of intentionally committing violence or threats of violence, forcing, committing deception, a series of lies or persuading children to commit or allow acts of 'obscene' as stipulated in the provisions of Article 82 of Law Number 23 of 2002 concerning Child Protection.

The convict was sentenced to five years in prison and a fine of Rp. 100 million, provided that if the criminal fine was paid, then he was replaced with imprisonment for six months.

"When he was arrested at his home, the convict was cooperative so that the security process went smoothly," said Yusnar.

In the future, he said, the convict was taken to the Waykanan District Attorney's Office, then taken to Batam City to be handed over to the Batam District Attorney's Executing Team.

"Furthermore, the convict undergoes execution to Batam Prison according to the Supreme Court's decision," he said.

The convict Martinus is a janitor at a school managed by the Chartitas Batam Foundation. It is suspected of molesting one of the students.

At the trial of the verdict on Wednesday, January 28, 2015, the Batam District Court released the defendant from all demands of the Batam Public Prosecutor's Office on suspicion of sexual abuse. This free verdict is based on the results of the post-mortem which states that there are no signs of sexual violence by the defendant to the victim. So from the statements of the witnesses did not see any closeness or internality between the defendant and the victim.

On this decision, the Public Prosecutor who demanded that the defendant be 7 years in prison file an appeal to the Supreme Court. Until the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia was issued Number: 1181 K/Pid.Sus/2015 dated March 22, 2016, the defendant was proven legally to have committed the crime of obscenity.

Yusna added, through the Tabur Program, the Head of the Riau Islands High Prosecutor's Office asked the ranks to monitor and immediately arrest fugitives who are still on the loose, for execution for legal certainty.

"Kajati also appealed to the heads of all fugitives on the search list for the Riau Islands Prosecutor's Office to immediately surrender and answer their actions because there is no safe hiding place," said Yusnar.