Foreigner arrested for molesting 20 girls

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A Guatemalan identified as Alberto Mendizabal, 37, was arrested at his home in Cinere, Depok early this week after three girls reported him to the police for sexually harassment.

Chief of the division for women, teenagers and children at the Jakarta Police, Comr. Edi Tambunan, said that Mendizabal was now being detained at the Jakarta Police detention center for allegedly molesting as many as 20 girls aged between 20 years and 23 years over a period of several months.

"We will charge him under Articles 289 and 290 of the Criminal Code on sexual harassment. We have questioned him and three victims. We hope other girls will come forward and give us more information," he said.

Edi said the police could not charge the suspect with rape as no victims admitted to having been raped by Mendizabal.

He added that according to prevailing laws Mendizabal faces a minimum punishment of five years in prison if proven guilty.

Mendizabal had reportedly told his victims that he owned a drug distribution company that needed many beautiful sales girls to market its products.

He looked around for girls in malls, shops and cafes, and handed over his business card to them.

"The girls were told to come to his office and house in Cinere the following day. Attracted by the salary offered, many girls flocked to his place," Edi said.

The girls were invited one by one into a room, where they were told to take off all of their clothes.

"He told the girls that he wanted to check if they had smooth skin. He then touched the girls' private parts," Edi said.

All of them were told to come again the following day for another interview.

"This time the girls were told to swallow a pill. After taking the pill, most of the girls developed a headache and fell unconscious and he then molested the girls again," he said.

One of the girls who was upset over what Mendizabal had done to her asked other girls if they had been harassed in a similar way.

After discovering that they all had a similar experience, she and two other girls reported him to the police.

Edi said that the police immediately asked a hospital to conduct a medical examination and issue a report on the three girls and sent officers to arrest Mendizabal and search his office.

Police later found out that he has an Indonesian wife.

"We have also questioned his wife, who is helping him provide the girls with food and drinks during the interviews," Edi said.