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n underage suspect alleged to have been involved in the gruesome rape and murder of 22-year-old Enno Farihah in Tangerang last month, identified only as RA, stood a closed trial at the Tangerang District Court on Tuesday.

Dozens of people shouted in anger outside the court, demanding the defendant receive a punishment equal to the crime. Three suspects, 16-year-old RA, 24-year-old Rahmat Aripin and 24-year-old Imam Hapriadi are facing trial for the alleged rape and murder of Enno Farihah last month. The crime occured at the dormitory of a factory where Enno worked. The latter two defendants will face trial on Wednesday.

The fact that one of the suspects is a minor should not be an exemption to harsh punishment, the protesters said.

“If the judges refuse to uphold justice, let us do the job,” one of the protesters continued.

The case shook the nation last month, with the gruesome details of the crime revealed by police.

According to the police investigation, the defendants allegedly smothered Enno, taking turns to rape her, and eventually killed her with a hoe.

Tangerang Prosecutor’s Office (Kejari) chief Edyward Kaban said that the defendants had been charged with violating Article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder, bearing a maximum penalty of death, lifetime imprisonment or 20 years in prison. However, given that RA was a juvenile, the applicable sentence is halved.

“The defendant is unlikely to receive the death penalty, because he is underage. We have to wait for the court’s verdict,” he said.

Enno’s father, Fikri Arif, called for the death penalty, demanding that the court take a bold stance in sentencing each of the suspects.

“RA is still a minor but he committed a terrible crime, worse than an adult,” he said after the court session. “As the father, I demand the same as the demands made by the people outside,” he said referring to the protesters.

Separately, Nayudin, father of RA told The Jakarta Post that he remained hopeful his son would be freed of all charges.

“My son is a good kid. He spends most of his time at home. He would never commit such a crime,” he said.

He claimed that there were 21 lawyers voluntarily backing his son. “They are working pro bono. We are not from a well-off family and we cannot afford to hire them,” he said.

Also in Tangerang, the recent murder of Nur Atikah, 33, who was seven months’ pregnant sent shock waves throughout the wider community. She was allegedly killed and mutilated by her lover Agus, 31.

A string of rape and murder cases, many involving underage girls, have occurred throughout the nation recently, serving as a wake up call regarding the need for harsher punishment.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo signed a regulation in-lieu-of law (Perppu) last month, which stipulates chemical castration and the death penalty as possible punishment for child rapists.

The Perppu imposes a range of heavy sanctions for child rapists based on the circumstances of the individual case. (fac)