Sampang Child Rape Case: 17 Named as Suspects, 10 Still at Large

The Sampang Police in East Java have arrested a further four suspects in the alleged sexual violence and rape of a child, bringing the total number of suspects in custody to 17, out of 27 alleged perpetrators.

“Of the four suspects we arrested, two of them are still teenagers or minors, whilst the other two are adults,” said the Chief of Sampang Police, Adjunct Grand Commissioner Hartono, speaking to the media at Sampang Police Headquarters in Madura on Monday.

The four suspects are identified by their initials as LN (14) and AR (15), both residents of Sampang District, and RQ (24) and MT (20), residents of Omben District.

All suspects are charged under Article 473 paragraph (2) of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code in conjunction with Law Number 1 of 2026 on Penal Adjustments, Article 20 of Law Number 11 of 2012, and Article 82 paragraphs (1) and (2) of Law Number 23 of 2002 on Child Protection, carrying a maximum prison sentence of 15 years.

The victim in this alleged sexual violence case is a 15-year-old child.

The police chief explained that the four suspects were arrested by his officers on 17 July 2026 at four different locations.

Currently, only the adult suspects are being detained at Sampang Police Headquarters, whilst the underage suspects are being handled by the Women and Children Protection Directorate of the East Java Regional Police.

“So, for the suspects who are still minors, they are handled by the PPA Directorate of East Java Regional Police together with the special team from Sampang Police. The two other adult suspects were secured by the Criminal Investigation Team of Sampang Police,” he said.

Meanwhile, of the 17 suspects arrested so far, one was recorded as being involved in two separate cases.

“There is one suspect in this child sexual violence case who is involved in two different cases,” he said, without naming the suspect.

The sexual violence against the underage child occurred in February 2026, when the victim was alone in the Suhadak Road area of Sampang City.

The victim was then approached by a number of the perpetrators, coaxed, threatened, and forced to comply with their demands.

Police also suspect that the victim was plied with alcoholic drinks before the sexual violence took place.