'Ojek' driver jailed

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court yesterday sentenced an ojek (motorcycle taxi) driver to four years in jail for sexually molesting his 14-year-old stepdaughter.

Presiding judge Madnyono said 41-year-old Supardja had sex with the teenager, identified only as Wir, between Dec. 27 last year and May this year.

"As a stepfather, the defendant should have protected Wir but he failed to do so," he said.

The judge said Supardja, of Jl. Kemayoran Gempol, Central Jakarta, was charged under Article 287 of the Criminal Code because the girl was underage and his stepdaughter.

Supardja had molested the junior high school student on many occasions, often while she was sleeping in the living room of the family house.

The girl's mother was often absent from the house because she worked as a food vendor.

The defendant intimidated Wir so she would not notify her mother, Kasturi, or authorities. He would threaten to divorce her mother and stop giving her money for school expenses if she refused his advances. (jun)