Foreigner arrested for molesting 20 girls<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A Guatemalan identified as Alberto Mendizabal, 37, was arrested
\nat his home in Cinere, Depok early this week after three girls
\nreported him to the police for sexually harassment.<\/p>\n
Chief of the division for women, teenagers and children at the
\nJakarta Police, Comr. Edi Tambunan, said that Mendizabal was now
\nbeing detained at the Jakarta Police detention center for
\nallegedly molesting as many as 20 girls aged between 20 years and
\n23 years over a period of several months.<\/p>\n
"We will charge him under Articles 289 and 290 of the Criminal
\nCode on sexual harassment. We have questioned him and three
\nvictims. We hope other girls will come forward and give us more
\ninformation," he said.<\/p>\n
Edi said the police could not charge the suspect with rape as
\nno victims admitted to having been raped by Mendizabal.<\/p>\n
He added that according to prevailing laws Mendizabal faces a
\nminimum punishment of five years in prison if proven guilty.<\/p>\n
Mendizabal had reportedly told his victims that he owned a
\ndrug distribution company that needed many beautiful sales girls
\nto market its products.<\/p>\n
He looked around for girls in malls, shops and cafes, and
\nhanded over his business card to them.<\/p>\n
"The girls were told to come to his office and house in Cinere
\nthe following day. Attracted by the salary offered, many girls
\nflocked to his place," Edi said.<\/p>\n
The girls were invited one by one into a room, where they were
\ntold to take off all of their clothes.<\/p>\n
"He told the girls that he wanted to check if they had smooth
\nskin. He then touched the girls' private parts," Edi said.<\/p>\n
All of them were told to come again the following day for
\nanother interview.<\/p>\n
"This time the girls were told to swallow a pill. After taking
\nthe pill, most of the girls developed a headache and fell
\nunconscious and he then molested the girls again," he said.<\/p>\n
One of the girls who was upset over what Mendizabal had done
\nto her asked other girls if they had been harassed in a similar
\nway.<\/p>\n
After discovering that they all had a similar experience, she
\nand two other girls reported him to the police.<\/p>\n
Edi said that the police immediately asked a hospital to
\nconduct a medical examination and issue a report on the three
\ngirls and sent officers to arrest Mendizabal and search his
\noffice.<\/p>\n
Police later found out that he has an Indonesian wife.<\/p>\n
"We have also questioned his wife, who is helping him provide
\nthe girls with food and drinks during the interviews," Edi said.<\/p>",
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