Australian Tourist Traumatised After Assault and Attempted Rape by Student in Sumba
A 17-year-old student, identified by the initials AH, from Southwest Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara, faces a maximum prison sentence of 12 years for allegedly sexually assaulting and attempting to rape an Australian tourist. The victim, a 30-year-old woman identified as IMC, was attacked at Pailiang Beach in Bondo Kodi village. The suspect also allegedly seized the victim’s iPhone 14 Pro.
Head of Public Relations for the Southwest Sumba Police, Kadek Arya Parwata, stated that AH is charged under Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code, in conjunction with Law Number 11 of 2012 on the Juvenile Criminal Justice System. The case has now entered the investigation phase. ‘The maximum prison threat is 12 years,’ he said on Friday (26/6/2026).
Kadek added that investigators have secured several pieces of evidence, including the clothes worn during the incident and the damaged mobile phone. The material loss suffered by the victim is estimated at around IDR 25.1 million. Following the incident, the victim experienced severe trauma. ‘After the incident, the victim appeared frightened and traumatised. Once we provided a security guarantee, the victim felt more at ease,’ he stated.
The incident occurred when the victim was enjoying the sunrise at Pailiang Beach on Friday, 19 June. The suspect approached while leading a horse and greeted the victim before suddenly grabbing her collar and tripping her onto the sand. The student then removed the victim’s lower clothing and molested her. When the victim resisted, the suspect grabbed and pushed the Australian tourist’s head into the seawater repeatedly, causing her breathing difficulties.
The suspect also allegedly dragged the victim’s body into coastal bushes. The terrified victim offered her mobile phone and money to avoid being raped, but the suspect instead beat her. The victim then handed over her iPhone 14 Pro, which the suspect seized. When the suspect grabbed her hand and pulled her collar, the victim slipped out of her clothes and fled. The victim, a property developer from Sydney, Australia, ran to her hotel for safety. Police have since secured the suspect and evidence, including damaged clothing and the broken iPhone, and are completing the case file for submission to prosecutors.