Two arrested for duping teenagers into prostitution
Two arrested for duping teenagers into prostitution
JAKARTA (JP): Central Jakarta police detectives have arrested
two senior high school girls for allegedly duping a number of
other teenage girls into prostitution.
The young panderers, identified as Mona Lestari, 16, and Upik
Oiriah, alias Upay, 20, were arrested on Thursday evening
following a report from a parent of one of the victims, Central
Jakarta Police Chief Lt. Col. Murawi Effendi told reporters on
Saturday.
"We're still looking after a number of their accomplices who
also played a significant role in this sex business," said head
of the Central Jakarta criminal investigation unit Maj. Charles
Marpaung, who accompanied Murawi at the press conference.
Among their victims were a 12-year-old junior high school
student.
The suspected panderers studied in different high schools in
Central Jakarta, but rented the same room in a house on Jl.
Kramat Sawah. Mona is a junior, while Upay is a senior.
Charles said the police have received similar reports from at
least five victims, aged between 12 to 20 years old.
Based on the confessions made by the suspects and the
testimony of the victims, Charles said that Mona and Upay always
took a commission from customers ranging from Rp 30,000 to Rp
50,000 (US$13.75 and $23) per girl.
Customers paid them between Rp 150,000 and Rp 200,000 for each
session with one of the girls, Charles said. "They have run this
illicit business for around one year," he explained.
During police questioning some of the young women confessed
that their customers are old men, who only required "touching and
rubbing".
The two young panderers were arrested at their rented room
following the report made by a parent, whose 14-year-old
daughter, identified only as A, was one of the victims.
The 14-year-old reportedly met Mona in Salemba when she was on
her way to her neighbor's house to borrow some money to buy
medicine needed by her ailing mother.
Mona then gave her Rp 150,000 under the condition that she
accompany her in the evening to meet Upay at an entertainment
site in Ancol, North Jakarta.
When A arrived there, Upay introduced her to a man, whom she
said forced her to have sex.
When she returned home the next day, A told her mother what
happened and she reported the incident to the police.
"We will probably send both of the young pandering suspects to
the Pondok Bambu women's penitentiary in Tangerang pending
further legal processing because we have no special jail for
females here," said Murawi.(bsr)