Police Release One Suspect in Rape of 13-Year-Old Student in Labuan Bajo

Investigators from the West Manggarai Police have released one suspect in the rape of a 13-year-old student in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, from detention. The suspect, identified by the initials NA (17), was released because he is still a minor. NA is now required to report regularly to the West Manggarai Police. He was previously detained alongside two other suspects following their arrest on the night of 13 July 2026. “He was not detained because he is a minor. He has a mandatory reporting obligation,” said West Manggarai Police Criminal Investigation Unit Head AKP Lufthi Darmawan Aditya on Friday (17/7/2026). Meanwhile, the two other suspects, identified as R (18) and A (31), remain in custody at the West Manggarai Police detention centre. Investigators have named the three men as suspects for molestation and sexual intercourse with a minor. They face a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Investigators are currently completing the case files before transferring them to the West Manggarai District Prosecutor’s Office. The rape occurred over four days, from 10 to 13 July 2026. The victim, identified as B, was raped in an empty shop and a villa in the Labuan Bajo area. The incident began on 10 July 2026 at around 10.00 a.m. Central Indonesia Time, when the victim was invited by a friend, identified as S, under the pretext of buying internet data packages. However, S instead took the victim to an empty shop in Labuan Bajo where the three perpetrators were waiting. At that location, the victim was raped in turn for the first time. The victim was also forced to drink a traditional alcoholic beverage called sopi until she became dizzy and lost consciousness. “In that helpless state, the perpetrators allegedly took turns committing their heinous acts,” said AKP Lufthi Darmawan Aditya on Wednesday (15/7/2026). Afterwards, the victim was taken to a villa in Mburak Village, Macang Tanggar Village, Komodo District. During 11-12 July 2026, the victim was held captive and repeatedly raped by the three perpetrators. On 13 July 2026, the victim was taken back to the empty shop where she was first assaulted. There, the victim, who is originally from Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, was again forced to drink sopi before being raped in turn by the three perpetrators.