New details have emerged in the shocking case of a woman who was reportedly held captive as a sex slave in a cave for 15 years in Tolitoli regency, Central Sulawesi
ew details have emerged in the shocking case of a woman who was reportedly held captive as a sex slave in a cave for 15 years in Tolitoli regency, Central Sulawesi.
Investigators have questioned the sole suspect, Jago, 83, a local shaman who is alleged to have held the 28-year-old woman inside a gap between several very large rocks near Galumpang village since 2003.
Investigators have had difficulty in questioning Jago as he keeps changing his statements.
“He could say A today and in a few hours the statement is changed to B. He keeps changing the details,” Tolitoli Police chief Muhammad Iqbal Alqudusy told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
However, some key information has been collected regarding the locations where Jago allegedly held his victim captive as his sex slave, Iqbal said.
Preliminary investigations indicate that Jago did not only keep her inside the narrow gap in the rocks, but also took her to various other locations where he abused her.
“At night, the victim was taken to a hut in a plantation. In the early hours of the morning, she would be taken back to the cave,” Iqbal said.
Jago allegedly also stripped the victim naked before putting her in the cave in a bid to prevent her from escaping. The entrance to the cave, measuring around 1.5 square meters, was located on Aug. 5 following reports by local people who had heard about the missing woman’s whereabouts.
Jago had warned local residents away from the hiding place by warning that a jin (spirit) occupied the cave.
“As he was known as a local shaman who had witchcraft skills, residents followed his advice,” Iqbal added.
Police are now focused on getting valid information from two key witnesses in the case, namely the victim’s older sister and Jago’s son, who is also the sister’s husband. The couple may well be named as suspects for their involvement in the case.
Jago allegedly kidnapped the victim when she was 13 years old, telling her parents that she had left for Jakarta to find work. He even delivered basic foodstuffs to her parents and claimed that they were the results of her working in Jakarta.
Meanwhile, local resident Adi Suhardi said that the victim was improving since her release. She has received counseling from authorities following her ordeal.
She had started to remember old friends who had visited her in her parents’ house, Adi said.
One thing he noticed was that although she looked healthier and had begun to speak normally, she appeared confused at the new things she had encountered since regaining her freedom.
“She was confused by a smartphone with a camera feature, she is dumbfounded over what is going in the outside world. Perhaps it’s because she was held captive for so long” he said.
Adi and the rest of the community members along with her family hoped the victim would quickly recover and could put the disturbing events behind her.
“Even though it will take a long time, it is everyone’s wish for her,” Adi said.
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