Government Efforts To Repatriate Reynhard Sinaga Convicted Of Serial Raping In England

Convict of a serial rape case in England, Reynhard Sinaga/ (YouTube.com/bbc news)

JAKARTA - The Indonesian government, through the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Kemenkopolhukam), is trying to repatriate Reynhard Sinaga, a serial rapist who is currently serving a life sentence in England.

Special Staff to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for International Relations Ahmad Usmarwi Kaffah stated that negotiations with the British Embassy would soon be carried out to begin the repatriation process.

"In the near future, we are trying to bring home Indonesian prisoners in the UK, which the British government considers a big case, namely Reynhard Sinaga," Ahmad was quoted as saying by CNA media, last Wednesday.

Ahmad emphasized that the government is working hard to facilitate the repatriation of Reynhard Sinaga and will immediately start negotiations.

Ahmad revealed that his party had met with the Reynhard Sinaga family, although communication was still limited. Requests from his parents, Saibun Sinaga and Normawati Silaen, are one of the factors driving this repatriation effort.

"We have asked their parents for permission, and they cry, want their child back. They also said that Reynhard had difficulty communicating because the prison where he was being held was very closed," said Ahmad.

The government plans to use a prisoner swap mechanism, in contrast to the repatriation scheme implemented for detainees in Australia, the Philippines and France.

Reynhard Sinaga was sentenced to life in prison by the Manchester Court in January 2020 after being found guilty of 159 counts of rape and sexual violence against 48 victims between January 2015 and June 2017.

In January 2025, Greater Manchester Police revealed that they believed Sinaga had committed crimes against 212 men, with around 60 victims still unidentified.

Dubbed the most prolific rapist in British history, Reynhard Sinaga targets a drunk man or lost his way outside nightclubs and pubs. While still studying his doctorate at the University of Leeds, he anesthesizes and attacks the victim at his apartment in downtown Manchester.

Most of the victims were white British male heterosexual aged 18 to 36, with an average age of 21 years.

Currently, Reynhard Sinaga is serving his sentence at HMP Wakefield, Yorkshire, one of the UK's highest security-level prisons, which houses about 800 high-risk inmates.

On December 15, 2024, Reynhard Sinaga was the victim of an attack by another inmate, Jack McRae, who later pleaded not guilty in the trial, as reported by Manchester Evening News.

As a result of the attack, Reynhard Sinaga experienced quite heavy psychological pressure.