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Sulawesi court hears case against teacher accused of abuse
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Supriyani (center left), 36, a contract teacher accused of hitting one of her students with a broom, speaks to reporters on Oct. 22, 2024, at her lawyer’s office in South Konawe, Southeast Sulawesi. (Kompas/Tribunnnews)
T
he Andoolo District Court in South Konawe, South Sulawesi, has begun the trial of a 36-year-old contract teacher accused of hitting one of her first grade students, the child of a local police officer, with a broom at SDN 4 Baito state elementary school.
Prosecutors have charged the teacher with the assault of a child under the Child Protection Law and with assault under the Criminal Code. She is facing a maximum punishment of three and a half years in prison.
Hundreds of members of the South Konawe chapter of the Indonesian Teachers’ Association (PGRI) staged a rally in front of the district court during the trial’s first hearing on Thursday to show their support for Supriyani.
“We are striking for the day to defend our sister,” said South Konawe PGRI chairman Abdul Halim Momo, as quoted by Antara.
Previously, Andri Darmawan, Supriyani’s legal counsel, said the indictment in the case contained several discrepancies, including the time and place of the alleged assault.
“The [report] said the incident happened at 10 a.m. [on April 24], but at that time there were no first graders at the school,” he said on Tuesday, as quoted by kompas.com.
“I never hit the child. I was told by the police investigators to just admit [that I had],” Supriyani told reporters after the district court suspended her detention at Kendari Women’s Penitentiary in the provincial capital, where she had been detained since Oct. 16.
