Policeman a suspect in child sex
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A five-year-old boy from Ciracas, East Jakarta, was sexually abused by two men, one of whom is a policeman, alleges the boy's mother.
The case came to light after the boy’s mother filed a report with the East Jakarta Police and the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) over the weekend.
According to commission chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait, the mother’s suspicions were first roused by physical and behavioural changes in her child, “F”, when she bathed him on Thursday.
“The boy complained of pain in the rectum and told his mother that two men, whom he identified as ‘Uncle Tall’ and ‘Uncle Big Eyes’, liked to play with his genitalia,” Arist told the Jakarta Post on Sunday.
The mother, identified as MA, was quoted by Arist as saying the child shouted in his sleep on Thursday night: “Let go! Let go! It hurts!”
The next morning, acting on her suspicions the mother asked neighbours about the two men, one of whom lives nearby.
Neighbours confirmed that F frequently visited the house of one of the men, Arist said.
MA then filed a report with the East Jakarta Police and took her son for a medical examination at Jakarta’s National Police Hospital.
“The examination indicated no irregularities,” Arist said.
Unsatisfied, the parents requested a letter of reference from the police to undergo another check at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital (RSCM) in Central Jakarta.
The report from the RSCM examination stated the boy had experienced repeated rectal sexual assaults.
The doctors also found a 3-centimetre wound allegedly caused by a sharp object.
“According to a statement by the child to his mother, the perpetrators usually threatened him with a knife while assaulting him,” Arist said.
The boy has confirmed the identity of the suspects, who have been in police custody since Thursday evening.
“The boy, in a consistent manner, told police that it was them who assaulted him,” Arist said.
“The boy referred to the two suspects by specific names.”
Arist said the suspects had allegedly violated Article 82 for assault against children of Law No 23/2002 on Child Protection, which carries a maximum of 15 years’ imprisonment.
Jakarta Police spokesman Senior Commander Rikwanto confirmed that a police officer was implicated in the case, which was being investigated by the East Jakarta Police.
