DPR Member Urges Harsh Punishment Without Mercy for Sexual Harassment Perpetrator in Pati

JAKARTA - A member of the House of Representatives from the Pati electoral district, Marwan Jafar, has stressed that there must be no room for forgiveness for the perpetrator of sexual harassment targeting dozens of female students in Pati, Central Java.

Marwan stated that the religious figure suspected of the sexual harassment must be punished severely for allegedly deceiving with a false identity, claiming to be a saint and a descendant of the Prophet to manipulate and exploit the victims.

“This crime must not have any loophole for forgiveness. The perpetrator must be sentenced heavily for the sexual crime, fraud, and exploitation of the faithful. We also demand ongoing trauma counselling for the female students to restore their psychological condition,” Marwan said in a press release on Wednesday (6/5/2026).

Considering the severe psychological impact on the victims, Marwan urged that the legal process be expedited to the P21 stage for referral to the court.

“We ask the National Police Headquarters to handle the sexual crime case committed by a shaman posing as a kiai in Pati. This is important so that the legal process runs quickly, without favouritism, and meets the expectations of the wider public,” Marwan said.

According to him, the perpetrator’s actions are seen as tarnishing the good name of pesantren institutions, the honour of kiais, and educators in general.

It was previously reported that the alleged molestation case against dozens of female students at one of the pesantrens in Pati Regency has progressed to the investigation stage.

Police stated that they have obtained sufficient preliminary evidence after examining witnesses and conducting scene reconstruction.

The case was actually reported since 2024, while the molestation of the victims is alleged to have occurred since 2020.

However, police claimed that the handling process after the 2024 report was initially hampered by attempts at family-based resolution from the victims’ side.