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Scavenger arrested for allegedly molesting 16 children
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Students sign a call for greater protection against sexual exploitation of children during a rally held by Children Forums from Bantul, Sleman and Yogyakarta at Titik Nol (Zero Point) in Yogyakarta on Sept. 2, 2016. (JP/Bambang Muryanto)
A 29-year-old scavenger has been arrested for allegedly molesting at least 16 children in Karanganyar regency, Central Java.
Karanganyar Police chief Adj. Comr. Ade Safri Simanjuntak said on Monday that the man, whose name is Fajar, admitted to having abused and sodomized the children, aged from 8 to 10, between 2003 and 2016.
“So, some of the victims are now adults,” Ade said, adding that Fajar was arrested at his house in Ngawoh, Tegalgede subdistrict, on Monday.
The police said the arrest was triggered by one of the victims telling his teacher that he was once sodomized by Fajar. “The teacher reported it to the pupil’s parents, and the latter reported it to the police,” said Ade.
The scavenger admitted to having offered the victims between Rp 5,000 (37 US cents) to Rp 10,000 or books and shoes. He then raped the boys at a local mosque, Ade said.
A medical examination of two victims confirmed the sexual abuse, Ade said, adding that the police had identified five victims, one of whom was sodomized more than once. “The victim was afraid to report the incident [to the police] because he felt threatened.
“We will approach the families [of the rest of the victims] as some parents do not yet know that their children have been the victims of sodomy.”
