Kiai Ashari's Excuse for Molesting Female Students: Spiritual Healing Through Sleeping Together

The case of alleged molestation implicating Ashari, an administrator at a pesantren in Pati Regency, continues to draw public attention. Following the police arrest of the suspect accused of molesting dozens of female students, testimonies from victims have emerged, revealing a pattern of alleged manipulation disguised as spiritual mentoring.

One victim, using the pseudonym Tari, shared her harrowing experience as a student at Pondok Pesantren Ndholo Kusumo. She said she began boarding there in 2016 and saw no suspicious behaviour from Ashari in the initial years.

However, the situation changed as her closeness to the pesantren administrator grew more intense. Tari claimed she was asked to do things she deemed inappropriate, but they were presented as acts of respect for the teacher and spiritual development processes.

“It started with being told to massage him, then he would kiss me, and when it was over, saying goodbye, he would kiss both cheeks,” said Tari, quoting a video on Denny Sumargo’s YouTube channel on Friday, 8 May 2026.

According to her account, Ashari often used the excuse of spiritual healing to convince the students to comply with his requests. Tari said she was directed to undergo various “therapies” to cure the inner illnesses she was told she had.

“There was a tarikah teacher there. He said it was on the tarikah teacher’s orders. It’s part of healing the illness,” said Tari.

She claimed she was often given suggestions that she had traits of envy, malice, and other inner ailments that needed to be healed through specific methods. In that process, Tari was gradually asked to join various activities with Ashari, including pilgrimages and night-time devotional chants.

Although she sometimes felt something was off, Tari said she still followed the instructions because the pesantren environment taught students to always obey the caregiver.

“Students have to be humble, as much as possible,” she said.

The oddity became more pronounced when Ashari asked Tari to accompany him sleeping in the same room during pilgrimage activities. Although it did not lead to intercourse, the situation made the victim feel pressured and frightened.

“He asked me to accompany him sleeping. It didn’t go as far as having relations, sleeping in one room,” she added.