Regent's sex acquittal under challenge

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 09/14/2007 2:35 PM | National

Prodita Sabarini and Alit Kertarahardja, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Amlapura

The founder of the Committee against Sexual Abuse (CASA) Luh Ketut Suryani said Thursday the committee would report judges from Amlapura District Court to the Judicial Commission for their acquittal of former Karangasem regent Gede Sumantara for the sexual abuse of a teenager.

Suryani said the committee would also report the case to the National Commission for Child Protection.

On Tuesday, judges at Amlapura District Court acquitted former Karangasem regent IG Sumantara AP of any charges of sexual abuse. The former regent had been accused of molesting a female high school karate athlete identified as SWD.

Led by I Nyoman Sumanada, the judges acquitted Sumantara on the grounds that inadequate evidence had been submitted.

""We do not have enough evidence to support the prosecutor's charges and therefore we decided to free him,"" Sumanada told the court Tuesday.

Amid thousands of supporters, Sumantara sat contentedly in the court in Karangasem regency to hear the anticipated verdict.

""Finally, the truth has been revealed to the public,"" the former regent said grinning while being cheered by supporters.

Chief prosecutor Kt Kindra, Putu Sugiawa and Made Subawa expressed their disappointment.

""We don't have any comment on the judges' verdict. We will soon decide to appeal the verdict,"" Kindra said, adding that they will have only 28 days to prepare any evidence.

Suryani said the court's verdict was unfair. ""We cannot accept the verdict. The judges released (Sumantara) on the basis that no one had seen the sexual act,"" she said.

""The judges relied only on (documentary) evidence and medical records. All the witnesses revealed the facts of the sexual abuse but (the judges) ignored them,"" she said.

Suryani said the judicial system ignored the rights of children to get social and legal protection from the state.

Any forms of sexual abuse conducted by adults against children and teenagers could badly affect the victims' physical and psychological condition, she said.

Suryani added that the Indonesian judicial system should pay more serious attention to sexual abuse cases and deepen its understanding of the issue.

Sexual abuse can be categorized as a serious crime under the Law on Child Protection. However, many in the legal system remain unaware of the law's existence, Suryani said.

Suryani added that the verdict could be a bad precedent in the country's legal system, providing a license to powerful adults to abuse vulnerable members of society, including children.

The professor said she was surprised by the large number of people who turned up to court to support the former regent.

""I don't see the need to support the act of sexually abusing children,"" she said.

The Balinese people should not be proud of what the former regent had allegedly done, she said.

""It is high time to protect our children and young people from these irresponsible adults.

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