Suspect in Buleleng Orphanage Abuse and Rape Case Detained

The case of alleged abuse and sexual violence against children at the Ganesha Sevanam Orphanage in Jagaraga Village, Sawan District, Buleleng, Bali, has entered a new chapter. Suspect Jro Mangku Wijaya Dangin, also known as JMW (57), is now officially detained. The suspect’s detention was carried out after Buleleng Police investigators handed over the complete case file (P-21) to the Buleleng District Attorney’s Office. With this transfer, the handling of the case, which has now entered the prosecution stage, falls under the authority of the Public Prosecutor. “The Public Prosecutor has detained the suspect at the Class IIB Singaraja State Detention Centre for 20 days, starting from 28 July to 16 August 2026,” said Head of Intelligence at the Buleleng District Attorney’s Office, I Dewa Gede Baskara Haryasa, on Tuesday (28/7/2026). Baskara explained that the Public Prosecutor will conduct a final review of the case file, prepare the indictment, and arrange for the case to be transferred to the district court for trial. “The Buleleng District Attorney’s Office is committed to handling this case professionally, objectively, and fairly, while prioritising the best interests of the child victims,” he added. He also urged the public not to disseminate the identities, photos, addresses, or other information that could reveal the victims’ identities. “We invite the entire community to respect the ongoing judicial process and refrain from forming opinions that could influence the trial or impact the psychological condition of the victims,” Baskara concluded. The case of abuse and rape of children at the Ganesha Sevanam Orphanage came under public scrutiny last April. The Buleleng Police subsequently named the foundation’s chairman, I Made Wijaya, also known as Jro Mangku Wijaya Dangin (57), as a suspect and immediately detained him. The suspect is alleged to have committed his depraved acts repeatedly, with at least seven children from the orphanage believed to be victims of physical and sexual violence by the foundation’s head.