M Yusuf Manurung, Jakarta – Bekasi City PSI Party chairperson Tanti Herawati called for law enforcers to severely punish the man identified as AT who allegedly committed the heinous act of raping an underaged girl. This case grabbed public attention as the suspect is the son of a Regional Legislative Council (DPRD).
"We hope the panel of judges will hand a severe verdict as a deterrent effect and prevent similar cases being committed again," said Herawati on September 2.
PSI claims Party members have provided the victim with ample support and she recalled the details of the case where the suspect was aged 21 and allegedly raped a 15 year old girl. PSI acted to precede the legal proceedings as they claim there are signs the suspect's family tried to take the case outside the courtroom.
"Marrying the victim who is still underage with the suspect not only violates the Law on Marriages and further torments the victim," Herawati added.
The case initially unraveled after the victim's family filed a police report against the suspect. Apart from raping the underage female victim, AT is also believed to have coerced the victim into online prostitution using the social platform MiChat.
The suspect had initially ignored police summons and only gave himself in after police issued an ultimatum against the suspect.