Director accused of raping teen maid

Director accused of raping teen maid

Yemris Fointuna, Kupang

After the disturbing Nirmala Bonat case, an Indonesian maid who
was brutally abused in Malaysia recently, another worker, also
from East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has become a victim of sexual
violence.

Yeskial Natonis, 32, the director of the overseas labor
recruitment agency PT Pra, was arrested by police in the NTT
capital of Kupang for allegedly raping an 18-year-old maid from
South Central Timor regency.

Kupang Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Agus Nugroho stated on
Tuesday that the evidence gathered by his officers showed that
Yeskial was indeed the perpetrator, although the suspect has
denied any wrongdoing.

Medical examinations of the victim, conducted by the
Bayangkara police hospital, found injuries on her body consistent
with those that other rape victims typically incur, Agus said,
while adding that the medical exams confirmed the statements from
witnesses.

Speaking to reporters at the Kupang police station, the victim
explained how she was raped twice last Friday and Sunday night in
Kupang and named Yeskial as the accused.

The first case took place at an empty building on in the
Oesapa neighborhood on Friday and the second incident at a
private room in a bar on Sunday, the victim added.

She did not explain, however, why she had not reported the
case after the first assault.

"I stayed in Kupang temporarily with Yeskial who then raped
me," she said.

"At the time I was invited by him to take a walk. I accepted
his offer because he is the director of the recruitment agency
(that sent me to Malaysia). So I considered him like my own
parent who would not likely abuse me," she said.

The victim explained that she was on a one-week holiday from
her job in Malaysia to see her family in South Central Timor. She
had planned to fly back for work this week.

The suspect has been formally charged with sexual abuse and
rape.

This most recent case comes less than a month after Nirmala
Bonat's abuse case shocked Malaysia and Indonesia in May.

Nirmala, who was employed as a maid in Malaysia, was found
crying by security guards outside the plush apartment compound
where she worked, with terrible wounds all over her body.

Her Malaysian employer is now on trial and is facing a maximum
prison term of 80 years if found guilty.

Poor protection by authorities and poor preparation by the
sending agencies have been blamed for frequent abuse cases
against Indonesian workers.