A REPORT has been lodged against a convicted paedophile for allegedly marrying a 7-year-old girl.
The National Commission for Child Protection filed the report against Pujiono Cahyo Widianto, known as Syekh Puji, in mid-March to the Central Java Police, according to The Jakarta Post.
The commission chairman Arist Merdeka Sirait said Syekh Puji committed a similar crime of marrying a minor and he appeared to be at it again.
Arist urged the Central Java Police to investigate the allegation on Syekh Puji.
“Seven of Syekh Puji’s own relatives have taken issue with his actions and reported them to the police,” he said.
“They witnessed his unregistered marriage (to the child) in 2018,” he added.
In 2009, Syekh Puji, who headed a pesantren (an Islamic boarding school) in Semarang, Central Java’s capital city was sentenced to four years’ jail for marrying a 12-year-old girl.
According to Indonesia’s 2002 Law on Child Protection , the offence carries a 15-year imprisonment and fine of up to 300 million rupiah (RM78,000).
Central Java Police spokesman Gr. Comm. Iskandar F. Sutisna confirmed that the police had received the report.
“So far we have already questioned six witnesses.
“The medical examination result shows that there are no signs of sexual violence against the underage girl in question.
“Our investigators are still conducting an investigation to determine if there are signs of a crime having taken place,” said Iskandar.
Meanwhile, Central Java Women’s Empowerment, Child Protection and Family Planning Agency official Saptiwi Mumpuni said the agency could not take any action against
Syekh Puji because the agency was still awaiting evidence from the police.
“As far as we know, the child is still attending school.
“According to the information
that we have received, the child has not suffered from any violence,” added the agency official.