'Immaculate' conception unraveled
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang
After sticking to her story of an immaculate conception for almost two months, the mystery of a 13-year-old girl who reportedly had a baby without having sexual relations with a man was finally disclosed on Saturday.
Uswatun Hasanah alias Wawah, 13, a resident of Kongsi Baru village, Mekarsari subdistrict of Tangerang who gave birth to the baby, admitted that she had frequently had sex with Amsarudin, 16, a student of her father's Islamic boarding school Al Hikmah in the village.
Last Saturday, Amsarudin was obliged to marry her at Rajeg subprecinct police headquarters.
The wedding was held after both of them admitted to the police that they had frequently had sex in her bedroom.
According to Rajek Police chief Insp. Sumanta, to hide the disgrace, the couple invented a story that the girl's pregnancy was a miracle just like the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary.
The wedding was witnessed by Ustad Yono and Siti Khadijah, Wawah's parents, Sumanta, Tangerang Police intelligence chief Insp. Maryono and several religious figures.
The truth of the story was disclosed after people in the Rajeg community, who rejected the story, threatened to attack the girl's parents' house and the Islamic boarding school, Sumanta said on Monday, adding that they also threatened to drive Yono's family out of the village if they did not tell the truth.
Anticipating the residents' plan, Tangerang Police intelligence chief Maryono summoned Wawah and her parents last Friday for interrogation. Witnessed by some 100 locals, Wawah then confessed that the baby named Siti Rohmah was the daughter of Amsarudin.
"I lied because I was scared of my father although Amsarudin had told me that he would take responsibility," she told The Jakarta Post on Monday.
Amsarudin also admitted that he had made the girl pregnant. "I first raped Wawah after I managed to jump into her bedroom. Since Wawah did not complain and seemed to enjoy it, I had sex with her several times at her house," he said.