Bengkulu Judge Speaks Out on Involvement with Little Aresha Daycare

Police state that the Supreme Court Inspectorate (Bawas MA) will directly observe the examination process of suspects in the alleged child abuse and neglect case at Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta, DIY. Yogyakarta Police reveal that Bawas MA is intervening due to suspicions of involvement by an active judge with the initials RIL in the daycare’s organisational structure. It has also come to light that the daycare lacks an operating permit. The active judge allegedly in the daycare’s management structure is Rafid Ihsan Lubis (RIL), who serves at the Tais District Court in Seluma Regency, Bengkulu. His name appears in the daycare’s organisational structure as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Aresha Indonesia Center Foundation. In response, according to statements from the Tais District Court, Rafid denies active involvement in the management or decision-making of the Little Aresha Daycare Foundation in Yogyakarta. “Judge RIL has never been involved in the operational activities or decision-making at the foundation, only assisting in the initial establishment phase,” said spokesperson for the Tais District Court, Rohmat, in Seluma Regency on Tuesday (28/4), quoted from Antara. From RIL’s statement, Rohmat explained that the foundation’s owner requested assistance to lend his electronic ID card (KTP) as one of the administrative requirements for establishing the legal entity in 2021. However, Rohmat said, RIL claims he stipulated that his name must be removed from the management structure after the foundation’s legal entity was officially formed. Rohmat explained that this request was made after RIL was declared to have passed as a candidate civil servant (CPNS) judge. Therefore, he is not permitted to engage in activities outside his duties as a state apparatus. Rohmat emphasised that RIL never received any remuneration from the foundation and was unaware of the subsequent establishment process, including the issuance of the notarial deed on 5 July 2022. “RIL never met the notary, did not sign the deed of establishment, and never authorised anyone else to act on his behalf in that legal process,” he said. Rohmat explained that based on the statement letter provided, RIL claims he never contributed capital, attended management meetings, or received honoraria, wages, or any benefits from the daycare foundation’s activities in Yogyakarta. Furthermore, he said, RIL also claims no involvement in decision-making or further communications regarding the foundation’s operations. In the statement letter, RIL also admitted that all activity reports—including financial and operational ones from the foundation—were never submitted to him. Additionally, RIL claims he never signed any documents related to the management of the daycare foundation in Yogyakarta. Claim of negligence and apology. Rohmat said that RIL acknowledges lending his personal identity in 2021 was a mistake and a form of negligence. On that basis, RIL expresses an apology to the victims and the victims’ families affected by the foundation’s controversy. Previously, Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta was reported to the police over allegations of violence and discrimination against children entrusted there. Police then raided the daycare on Friday (24/4). At least 53 children are indicated to have experienced violence, discrimination, and neglect out of 103 children entrusted at the daycare. Police have named 13 people as suspects. Eleven are caregivers, and the other two are DK (51) as the foundation chair and AP (42) as the school principal. The other eleven are FN (30), NF (26), Lis (34), EN (26), SRm (54), DR (32), HP (47), ZA (30), SRj (50), DO (31), and DM (28). Head of Criminal Investigation at Yogyakarta Police, Commissioner Riski Adrian, stated that Bawas MA is directly involved due to suspicions of an active judge with initials RIL in the Little Aresha management structure. In the circulating management poster, RIL is listed as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Little Aresha Daycare Foundation. “Indeed, Bawas from MA came here earlier for coordination. Even tomorrow, Bawas from MA wants to directly observe the examination of the suspects. Whether there is involvement in the daycare’s operations,” said Adrian at Yogyakarta Police Headquarters, DIY, on Monday (27/4).