US father offers Rp 20 million reward in search of ex-wife

Eli Gattenio, a US citizen living in Bali, has announced that he is prepared to pay a Rp 20 million reward for anyone able to track down his former wife, who is wanted by the police.

“My ex-wife has neglected our four children,” he said at a press conference he held in his private villa on Wednesday, as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He explained that while they were married, his former wife, Sari Soraya Ruka often left the house and repeatedly cheated on him with different men. After their divorce in 2010, Sari held one of their daughters ransom, demanding Rp 500 million for her return.

Their eldest child, Indigo, said that unknown men had come to their house and attempted to take the children away. The 12 year old said that she had reported her mother to the police. “We are scared as long as Mama is still free,” she said.

According to Eli, his wife was likely to either be in Jakarta, Bali or Lombok.

Eli said that he had been distributing brochures since last week, advertising a Rp 20 million reward in return for information on Sari’s whereabouts.

Earlier on March Eli barricaded himself and his children in his villa and threatened to kill himself and the children if he was deported after his working permit visa expired.