Head of Islamic Boarding School Named as Suspect in Rape Case, Allegedly Intimidates Victim's Family

The head of one of the Islamic boarding schools in Praya Timur District, Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, has been named as a suspect in a rape case involving one of his female students. The confirmation of the head of the Islamic boarding school as a suspect was made by the victim’s advocate, Joko Jumadi.

Joko said the suspect designation was carried out by investigators from the Directorate of Criminal Investigation of Women and Children Protection and Trafficking in Persons (Ditres PPA and PPO) of the West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Police.

“We received direct information about the suspect designation from the investigators,” Joko told detikBali on Tuesday (February 24, 2026).

The suspect’s initials are MTF. MTF was supposed to be questioned by investigators as a suspect on Tuesday (February 24, 2024). However, he did not attend due to illness.

Joko said he received information that MTF visited the victim’s family. The purpose was to get the victim to withdraw her report.

“He tried to influence the victim’s family. This is part of the intimidation. That’s why we are also tracing who issued the sick note,” he said.

As a suspect, MTF is charged with Article 6, letter c, of Law Number 12 of 2022 concerning Criminal Acts of Sexual Violence (TPKS).

“There is one official victim who reported, who is still a female student. There are other victims, but they are being used as witnesses,” he said.

detikBali tried to confirm with the Director of PPA and PPO of the NTB Police, Kombes Ni Made Pujewati, regarding the suspect designation. However, no response has been given.

Previously, Ni Made Pujewati confirmed that the handling of the case had been upgraded to the investigation stage.

“Yes, it has been upgraded to the investigation stage,” said the Director of PPA and PPO of the NTB Police, Kombes Ni Made Pujewati, on Thursday (February 19, 2026).

Investigators have also conducted a crime scene investigation in the case. The crime scene investigation is part of the ongoing investigation process.

“Yes, (the crime scene investigation) is part of the investigation process,” said the former Head of Sub-Directorate IV of the Directorate of General Criminal Investigation (Ditreskrimum) of the NTB Police.

For information, this case of sexual violence began to surface after a number of female students reported to the Legal Aid and Consultation Agency (BKBH) of the University of Mataram (Unram). They reported that they were subjected to psychological pressure from the head of the Islamic boarding school by being forced to swear by the water of the Wali Nyatoq Tomb.

The Wali Nyatoq Tomb water oath is a traditional Sasak oath in Lombok. This oath uses groundwater from the Wali Nyatoq Tomb. This is the tomb of a cleric who spread Islam in Rembitan Village, Pujut District, Central Lombok, which is considered sacred.

The oath using the Wali Nyatoq Tomb water is often used in resolving disputes or revealing the truth. People who are considered guilty must drink Wali Nyatoq water as proof of honesty. People who are sworn in with this water are believed to experience bad luck if they lie.

The female students were forced to take the Nyatoq oath after being accused by their teacher of spreading slander about sexual harassment in the Islamic boarding school.

Information about the alleged sexual harassment allegedly committed by the head of the Islamic boarding school spread through a recording of the victim’s conversation with her friends inside the Islamic boarding school. The victim in the conversation told about the treatment she experienced while studying at the Islamic boarding school.

The spread of the recording caused the head of the Islamic boarding school to become angry and force a number of female students to swear by drinking water from the Nyatoq Tomb.

This case of alleged psychological violence against a number of female students is currently being handled by the Central Lombok Police.