TEMPO.CO, Surabaya - Head of Women and Children Protection Unit of Surabaya Precinct Police Adj. Comr. Ruth Yeni Qomariyah has outlined two sentencing options for eight juvenile sex offenders against a girl in Surabaya.

The first option is to return the offenders to the state, in this case is Surabaya administration. Whereas the second option is to return the offenders to their families.

“The decision must be made legally binding by the court, because the offenders are minors,” Ruth told Tempo yesterday.

The sentencing options for sexual abuse have been revised so that the offenders would not be charged for criminal offences like adults. The latest juvenile justice system stipulates that the punishment for offenders under 12-year-old will be decided by the court, whether the offenders would be returned to the state or their parents.

While offenders in 13-18 age bracket could be charged with violating Article 81 and 82 of Law No. 35/2014 which amended Law No. 23/2002.

Ruth explained that, the law stipulates 5 years minimum and 15 years maximum sentence and a maximum of Rp5 billion in fines. “If the offender is 18 or above, one can be categorized as an adult and could be charged like an adult,” she said.

Ruth added, the police are still investigating the case, including the role of the eight offenders during the sexual abuse. Based on the confession of a suspect, victim Nona (not real name) had been molested by suspect AS since she was 4-year-old. Nona, now 13, is a seventh grade student in Surabaya.

In April 2016, suspect AS, now 14, persuaded seven of his friends to molest the victim. “The perpetrators had done it together, sometimes one-by-one, while the rest are patrolling outside,” Ruth said.

The sexual abuse was usually conducted at a neighborhood center in Kalibokor. But they also did it at a train station at Jalan Ngagel, Surabaya.

The eight offenders are MI, 9, third grade student; MY (12), sixth grade student; BS (12), fifth grade student; JS (14), eight grade student; AD (14), eight grade student; LR (14) ninth grade student; HM (14) ninth grade student; and AS (14) ninth grade student.

MOHAMMAD SYARRAFAH