Alleged rapist nabbed in Bekasi

JAKARTA (JP): A Bekasi man has been arrested for allegedly raping his unconscious 17-year-old housemaid as his wife was preparing to give birth to their fourth child in a nearby clinic.

The suspect, Teo Afu, alias Irfan Susanto, 34, was arrested shortly after the girl informed a relative and neighbors of the incident. They then reported it to the local police on Thursday.

Teo, who works at an automotive spare parts shop in Central Jakarta, will be charged for violating Article 278 of the Criminal Code, Bekasi Police Chief Lt. Col. Elfrizo Tobing told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

If found guilty, Teo will face a maximum jail term of nine years.

According to Tobing, Teo is believed to have illegally acquired five Ecstasy pills and insisted the poorly-educated housemaid consume the banned drug.

Teo told police that he had been attracted to the pretty maid ever since she began working for his family about a month ago.

The victim said Teo had sexually harassed her by rubbing her body a few days after she started working at the family house at the Bulak Kapal Permai housing complex in Margahayu sub-district.

"But I decided not to quit because I needed the money," the girl told the police during questioning.

Teo said that he had planned to "taste" the maid when his wife and children were not at home. While his wife was preparing to give birth at a nearby clinic, Teo asked his three children to stay the night at their grandmother's house in Jakarta.

At around 1 a.m. Thursday, he called the housemaid and told her to take one of the five Ecstasy pills that he had bought at the Zodiac discotheque in West Jakarta. He told her that the drugs could help slim her body.

His first effort failed as the girl could not swallow the pill.

Later in the morning, Teo tried again. He insisted that the maid have half a pill, Tobing said. The suspect reportedly also took one.

Teo then turned on his stereo and asked the girl to dance.

"I became unconscious and must have fallen down a few minutes later," the housemaid said.

Police said the suspect then took her to a bed and raped her twice before falling asleep. He was arrested by the police later in the afternoon thanks to the quick initiative of the girl in reporting the case to her sister, a housemaid at a neighboring house. (bsr)