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Owner of troubled orphanage to face multiple charges

Chemy “Samuel” Watulinggas, owner of the troubled Samuel’s Home orphanage in Tangerang, Banten, is set to face multiple charges as, aside from being charged with criminal negligence and the physical abuse of many toddlers, Samuel will also be indicted for the alleged sexual abuse of two female orphans

The Jakarta Post
Jakarta
Sat, March 22, 2014

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Owner of troubled orphanage to face multiple charges

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hemy '€œSamuel'€ Watulinggas, owner of the troubled Samuel'€™s Home orphanage in Tangerang, Banten, is set to face multiple charges as, aside from being charged with criminal negligence and the physical abuse of many toddlers, Samuel will also be indicted for the alleged sexual abuse of two female orphans.

Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Rikwanto said in Jakarta on Friday that based on physical examinations, the police investigation team has found signs of sexual abuse on a 14-year-old victim.

The victim, identified as IS, has said that she was forced to have sex with Samuel on two separate occasions and in different locations. Samuel, who has been arrested and is being held suspect, will soon face the allegations in court.

'€œAccording to the results of the physical examination, the victim'€™s genitalia has been damaged by sexual violence,'€ Rikwanto said, adding that the alleged rapes reportedly took place at the orphanage and at Samuel'€™s apartment.

According to the police investigation, IS is one of two possible rape victims, as Samuel is also believed to have raped another female orphan, identified as IC. Based on a physical examination conducted by the police on March 4, 2014, the police also found injuries to IC'€™s genitalia. She previously said that she had been sexually abused by the suspect four times.

The police said the suspect would be indicted for violating several chapters of the 2002 Child Protection Law, including Chapter 81 on sexual violence, Chapter 77 on criminal negligence and Chapter 80 on child abuse, as well as the Criminal Code. The investigation team is still continuing to look at allegations of profiteering and human trafficking issues in the case.

Rikwanto added that the two alleged rape cases prompted the police to lay multiple charges against Samuel.

'€œThe process of filing the sexual abuse charges has been started. Once the police have finished the dossier, we will hand it to the attorney to be brought to court,'€ he said.

The case was brought to light after donors and a legal aid foundation exposed the alleged physical abuse at the orphanage, said to involve Samuel, his wife and several staff employed at the orphanage, to the national media.

With the help of the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas Anak), 12 toddlers have been moved for safety reasons to two orphanages '€” in Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, and Cipayung, East Jakarta '€” while two others were hospitalized to examine serious scars on their bodies.

Samuel and his lawyers have several times denied the charges and have said that all children at the facility, who were taken from broken homes and poor families, were treated like family by Samuel and his wife.

So far, Samuel'€™s wife Yuni Winata, who was also allegedly involved in the physical abuse of the orphans, has yet to be held suspect, although she has undergone police questioning several times. (dyl)

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