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After watching TV, sex cult leader surrenders to police
After several days at large, Agus Imam Solihin, leader of a deviant sect that reportedly conducts group sex rituals, surrendered to police Thursday
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After several days at large, Agus Imam Solihin, leader of a deviant sect that reportedly conducts group sex rituals, surrendered to police Thursday.
“He is afraid of being hunted by the police,” Chairul said.
Agus told police investigators that he did not mean to evade arrest.
“He found out that he was wanted after watching television,” Chairul added.
Police searched for Agus after A. Kusmana, a former sect member, filed a complaint to the police against him Monday.
Kusmana reported Agus to the police, accusing the sect leader of being responsible for the death of his daughter, Ratna Ayu Kusumaningrum, in December last year.
According to Kusmana, Agus forbade him from seeking medical treatment for severely ill Ratna, saying it was part of the sect’s teachings.
After searching Agus’ home and sect headquarters in Kebagusan, South Jakarta, police found testimonies stating that Agus had been promulgating his teachings for 10 years, influencing 40 people.
Police have questioned former sect members.
According to the police, Agus only allowed married men and women to join the sect, nicknamed Satria Piningit Weteng Buwono.
Sect members were encouraged to have sex and change sexual partners in the presence of other members, including Agus.
He taught his followers not to perform obligations as mainstream Muslims did.
He told his followers that they would not die, but rather they would be taken to Arasy (God’s throne).
Chairul said Agus could be charged with violating the Criminal Code, especially articles on obscenity.
If found guilty, he could face a maximum sentence of nine years’ imprisonment.
The Satria Piningit sect run by Agus is one of a number of former sects considered deviants of mainstream Islam.
Former leaders — including Lia Aminudin and Ahmad Mossadeq —of such sects have been sentenced.
Lia, who claimed to receive revelations from Gabriel, was the founder of Kingdom of Eden sect in Jakarta.
She was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment.
Ahmad, who claimed to be a prophet and the messiah, founded Al-Qiyadah Al-Islamiyah.
Psychologist Bagus Takwin from the University of Indonesia said sects resulted from the failure of people to shoulder their burdens and their inability to fulfil their needs.
“It reflects growing problems within our society,” Bagus told The Jakarta Post.
“They [sect members] cannot handle their burdens and felt disappointed with their real lives.”
“They try to escape it, so they established ‘another world’ — an illusion — where they can do what they want and play important roles within the sect,” he said.
“They believe their illusion can control the real life.”
Earlier, police said they would not delve into the issue of whether the sect is heretical or not, since such an investigation would involve governmental departments like the Religious Affairs Ministry and Attorney General’s Office.
Chairul said police investigators would discuss with the Coordinating Body for Monitoring Mystical Beliefs in Society (Bakorpakem) how to handle the case.
