Chief of Indigenous Orang Rimba Tribe Surrenders After Being Spirited Away from Court

Jambi – Temenggung Bujang Rimbo, one of the leaders of the Suku Anak Dalam (SAD) or Orang Rimba indigenous community in Jambi, who was spirited away by a group of SAD members after attending a court hearing at the Muara Tebo District Court on an indecency charge, has finally surrendered and appeared in court to proceed with legal proceedings.

“After being taken away by his supporters following the hearing several days ago, the Temenggung finally surrendered and appeared at his hearing in the Tebo District Court to undergo the applicable legal process,” said Sugeng Hariadi, Head of the Jambi High Prosecutor’s Office, in Jambi on Thursday.

After undergoing mediation, the prosecutor’s office brought Temenggung Bujang Rimbo back to continue the trial, and his case has been decided by the panel of judges at the Tebo District Court, sentencing him to three months and ten days imprisonment, which is lighter than the prosecutor’s demand of five months and ten days.

According to the Head of the Jambi High Prosecutor’s Office, the sentence was handed down in consideration of the customary laws and traditions that are inherent to the Suku Anak Dalam or Orang Rimba community that they have long observed and believed to be true, whilst state law still prevails, as reflected in the court’s verdict and the prosecutor’s charges against the defendant.

“Whoever violates the law will still be prosecuted, and this verdict was delivered to the SAD as an act of justice because peace was made between both parties,” he stated.

The alleged indecency incident also resulted in reconciliation between the defendant and the victim, with customary law having already been applied within the SAD community, where the victim in the case involving Temenggung Bujang Rimbo was a minor.

Sugeng noted that in the verdict, the judge considered this case highly important for discussion in handling SAD matters going forward.

“And we will in future socialise state law in relation to the law they have believed in thus far,” he added.

In the near future, the Jambi High Prosecutor’s Office will hold discussions with the Governor, the Regional Police Chief, and the Military Commander regarding the handling of cases should the Suku Anak Dalam become involved in legal violations again.