Residents' testimonies about Ponorogo Kiai, a suspect in the sexual abuse of dozens of pesantren students

One local resident, Karti, said he had never suspected any activity at the pesantren. He said his daily routine was simply seeing the santri come to buy food at his shop. ‘Not expected, because I don’t know (I had) ever been there. I was at home,’ Karti said, cited by detikJatim on Tuesday, 19 May 2026. Karti said the pesantren housed many santri, both male and female. After the case came to light, the atmosphere at the pesantren was said to have become crowded as the families of the santri came to collect their children. ‘What was crowded were the daughters being picked up by their parents or siblings,’ he added. Meanwhile, the Head of Sawahan Hamlet, Pulosari Village, Tukimun, said the hamlet and residents initially did not know about the molestation of dozens of santri. They only learned of it after the case entered the legal process. ‘If the residents did not guess. They thought it was just a pesantren; how could that happen. And that it was a kiai,’ Tukimun said.