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Alleged child rapist arrested
The Batam, Rempang and Galang (Barelang) Police arrested a cleaner on Sunday night at a playgroup in Batam, Riau Islands province, for allegedly raping a three-year-old attending the playgroup
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he Batam, Rempang and Galang (Barelang) Police arrested a cleaner on Sunday night at a playgroup in Batam, Riau Islands province, for allegedly raping a three-year-old attending the playgroup.
Barelang Police investigation and crime unit head Comr. Ponco Indriyo told The Jakarta Post on Monday that the man had been reported to the police on April 25 by the parents of the child.
He said the child had complained to his mother of a painful anus, after which his parents questioned him and took him to see a doctor to be examined.
'Based on the child's statement, the perpetrator was a cleaning service worker at the playgroup,' Ponco said.
Based on several pieces of evidence, the police later arrested Martinus Eko Widodo, 25, a cleaner. According to the police investigation, the man sodomized the child at the former's residence, which was located in the playgroup compound.
'We are investigating whether this was the first time or if it happened on other occasions,' Ponco said.
Martinus' lawyer, Parulian, objected to his client's arrest, arguing that the police had no proof that Martinus was the perpetrator.
'During the examination of our client, we asked the investigators about evidence. But they did not tell us whether they had any evidence of sodomy,' Parulian said.
He added that his client had denied the allegation.
Separately, the head of the Barelang Police Women and Children Protection Unit, First Insp. Retno Ariani, said Martinus had not confessed to raping the child.
'We have the results of the victim's physical examination. We are now examining the perpetrator and the victim's parents,' Retno said.
As of Monday, no representative of the foundation that operates the playgroup, kindergarten, elementary school and junior high school in the Sukajadi housing complex was willing to comment on the case.
The head of Riau Islands' office of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI), Ery Syahrial, said the commission would monitor developments in the case.
Ery said that sexual violence against children was a major problem in which perpetrators in most cases were someone close to the victims or known by the victims.
'Parents have to pay close attention to this so that they can better protect their children,' Ery said.
