Indonesian Idol graduate Piche denies raping underage child

Indonesian Idol singer Petrus Yohannes Debrito Armando Jaga Kota or Piche Kota. ANTARA/instagram @pichekota_

JAKARTA - Singer Petrus Yohannes Debrito Armando Jaga Kota or known as Piche Kota, who was a graduate of Indonesian Idol, denied that he was the perpetrator of a child's immoral case in Atambua Belu, East Nusa Tenggara Province.

"I want to explain that what is suspected and accused of me is not true," he said via his official Instagram account with the name @pichekota_, reported by ANTARA, Monday, February 23.

This was conveyed after the establishment of a suspect in a child immorality case in Atambua, against Piche Kota and two of his colleagues RM and RS by the investigator of the Women and Children Protection Unit (PPA) of the Belu Police Criminal Investigation Unit last week.

Piche admitted that he still followed and respected the legal process that was being carried out by investigators from the Belu Police.

"I as a good citizen, will follow the existing legal process," he added.

Piche said the statement he just made was to defend himself.

"I am speaking out now for my own justice and I never did what I am accused of," he said.

Previously, investigators from the Women and Children Protection Unit (PPA) of the Belu Police Criminal Investigation Unit, East Nusa Tenggara Police, on Friday (20/2) last week, appointed the Indonesian Idol singer, Petrus Yohannes Debrito Armando Jaga Kota or known as Piche Kota, as a suspect in the case of child immorality in Atambua Belu.

"The determination of the suspect was made because the elements of the crime as stipulated in the legislation had been fulfilled, as well as the minimum requirements for valid evidence based on the provisions of the criminal procedure law," said Belu Police Chief AKBP I Gede Eka Putra Astawa.

He said the determination of the suspect status was made after investigators assessed that the elements of the crime had been fulfilled and at least two valid evidence as stipulated in the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).

In this case, investigators applied Article 473 paragraph (4) of the Criminal Code as adjusted to Law Number 1 of 2026 concerning Criminal Adjustment, or Article 81 paragraph (2) of Law Number 17 of 2016 concerning Child Protection, with a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison, and Article 415 letter b of the Criminal Code with a maximum penalty of nine years.

The Police Chief was contacted on Monday (23/2) afternoon and said that after being named a suspect, PK and RS will be summoned by investigators for the purpose of investigation. In addition, investigators will arrest the suspect RM for not being cooperative and not meeting the investigator's call without a valid reason.

Furthermore, investigators will immediately send the case file to the Public Prosecutor for the process of investigation and prosecution.

"Investigators will also arrest suspect RM because he is not cooperative because he does not meet the call of investigators without a valid reason," he said.