Man in Manggarai arrested for stealing ex-wife's phone and distributing intimate images on social media

East Manggarai Police Resort (Polres) arrested a man identified as VK on suspicion of stealing the mobile phone of his ex-wife, identified as YJ, and distributing intimate photographs of her on social media platforms Facebook and WhatsApp.

VK was apprehended following a police report filed by the victim at East Manggarai Police Resort on 9 March 2026. He was arrested in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai.

“The suspect remains in police custody,” said Ahmad Zacky Shodri, Head of Criminal Investigation at East Manggarai Police Resort, on Monday (16 March 2026).

According to investigators, the incident began when YJ lost her mobile phone at her parents’ house on 13 February. VK had spent the night at her parents’ residence in Ranamese District, East Manggarai, on the evening of the loss.

The following day, YJ’s father, identified as DR, informed her brother, identified as HI, that YJ’s phone had gone missing. DR also mentioned that VK had stayed overnight at his house on the night the phone disappeared.

Initially, the victim was hesitant to report VK regarding the missing phone due to insufficient evidence. However, intimate photographs of YJ were discovered circulating on Facebook on 1 March 2026. HI recognised that the Facebook account could be accessed using the victim’s stolen phone.

“Upon seeing that the account had uploaded photographs of HI’s sister without clothing, HI took screenshots,” explained Zacky.

In addition, VK allegedly uploaded intimate photographs of YJ to a WhatsApp group called ‘Darem Telo’. “Following this discovery, HI notified her sister YJ and their family, and filed a police report at East Manggarai Police Resort,” Zacky concluded.