Iman Mahditama – The schedule of noted cleric Hasan bin Jafar Assegaf appears to be still jam-packed with frequent sermons at various venues over the city, even after a handful of his disciples reported him to the police for sexual abuse in December last year.

The website of Nurul Musthofa, an Islamic congregation established by Hasan in 2000, reveals that he gave sermons on at least two occasions recently, namely in Cinere, Depok, on Friday night and at Al Makmur mosque in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta, the following night.

His lawyer, Sandy Arifin, told reporters at the Jakarta Police headquarters on Thursday that the allegations and the legal case against Hasan had had little or no impact on Hasan's daily preaching activities.

"He's still going from place to place to preach and hold Koran recitals," Sandy said, adding that there had been no significant decline in the size of Hasan's congregation.

One of Hasan's routine sermons is conducted at the tomb of respected cleric Ahmad Alwi Al Haddad in Kalibata, South Jakarta, Sandy added.

On at least two occasions, Hasan has used his reportedly "tight schedule" as an excuse for not appearing for questioning in connection with the sexual abuse allegations.

The Jakarta Police summoned Hasan for questioning as a witness in the sexual abuse case on Thursday at 10 a.m., but he was a no-show on the day. Sandy said that Hasan was unable to turn up because his schedule was full for the day.

"It's not that [Hasan] didn't want to come. It's just that he had other previously scheduled activities with the members of his congregation," he said.

Hasan also failed to appear at the National Commission for Child Protection in mid-February. The commission summoned him after receiving reports of sexual abuse from victims.

According to Sandy, Hasan had voiced a willingness to visit the commission when he received the summons, "but his tight schedule just didn't enable him to do so".

Sandy said that Hasan had sent a formal letter to the Jakarta Police to request that his questioning be postponed until Monday next week. "I hope everything will be cleared up after Monday's questioning," he said, adding that Hasan would deny all the allegations.

Hasan's sexual abuse allegations first surfaced after reports appeared online, accusing him of sexually abusing his disciples, most of whom were underage boys.