Victim Reported Abuse by Ponpes Founder in Pati Since 2024

The supervisor and founder of a pondok pesantren (ponpes) in Pati, Central Java, with the initials AS, has been designated a suspect in allegations of sexual violence against dozens of female students. Police summoned AS for questioning as a suspect over the past weekend.

The case came to light after a former student spoke out about the inappropriate behaviour from the founder and supervisor of the ponpes in Pati. The alleged sexual violence was reported in September 2024.

Head of the Pati Regency Social Services Office for the Protection of Women and Children (Dinsos P3AKB), Aviani Tritanti Venusia, stated that the case began when a former student reported the alleged sexual violence she experienced. Her office accompanied one victim who reported in September 2024.

“Our duty is to assist victims, so one victim reported to us. Perhaps the victim mentioned other friends, but only one has reported to us so far,” Aviani told reporters at her office on Thursday (30/4), quoted from detikJateng.

She said that at the time, the victim received assistance from Pati Social Services. Over time, the matter was reported to the police. However, the alleged perpetrator was not arrested.

According to her, the victim suffered psychological distress from suppressing the trauma she experienced for years. The victim only dared to report to Dinsos P3AKB after graduating from the pondok pesantren.

“The child’s psyche is disturbed; the victim was brave enough to report because she had left the ponpes, not while she was still there. They kept it bottled up for a long time, only reporting to us and the police after graduating,” she explained.

Head of the Women’s and Children’s Protection Unit (UPTD PPA), Hartono, also said the victim reported to Pati Social Services in 2024. However, a year later, there was no progress in the case.

“Last year in 2025, the father came to ask about the case’s development, because from 24 September 2024 until September 2025—a year—there was no progress,” Hartono explained to reporters at his office last week.

According to him, it was only on Monday (27/4) that police finally conducted crime scene processing. There were four locations: the girls’ dormitory, a classroom, and two rooms of the kiai.

“There are four crime scene processing locations: the girls’ dormitory, classroom, and two kiai rooms,” he clarified.

Upon hearing the news, residents became angry and stormed the pondok pesantren in Tlogowungu, Pati Regency, on Saturday (2/5).

The action heated up as a crowd from the Pati Society Alliance for Democracy (Aspirasi) and local residents demanded that ponpes representatives come out to meet them. After the demonstration, the crowd posted large posters on the front yard of the ponpes with messages such as “women are not sexual objects”, “Ashari Sex Predator”, and “pondok is a place of learning, not indecency”.

Suspect Status

In this case, police have named the ponpes founder with initials AS as a suspect in sexual violence, allegedly raping and molesting dozens of female students.

“The case is being handled directly by the Pati Police Resort’s Criminal Investigation Unit PPA team from the sector police. The information we have is that the case is at the suspect designation stage, awaiting further processes,” said Tlogowungu Sector Police Chief, AKP Mujahid, met at the location after the demonstration at the ponpes last Saturday, quoted from detikJateng.

He said the perpetrator AS has been named a suspect but has not been detained.

“The perpetrator is already a suspect; yesterday we met with the PPA Unit of Pati Police Resort’s Criminal Investigation and they stated that the process is now at the suspect designation stage,” Mujahid explained.

“Detention has not been carried out. For further information, await the release from Pati Police Resort,” he added.

Separately, the following day, Pati Police Resort stated that they had summoned the ponpes founder for questioning as a suspect.

“Regarding the suspect designation, it was set on 28 April 2026; for the next steps, we are conducting a summons (today). We will confirm the investigation and convey it to the media and public,” said Head of Operations of Pati Police Resort, AKP Dwi Atma Yofi Wirabrata, during a press conference at the Pati Regency Pendopo on Sunday (3/5), quoted from detikJateng.

Yofi admitted there were obstacles in handling the case but did not detail them.

“Of course, basically, this case continues. Even though there are obstacles, we will convey them later; we have addressed them, but the point is the case proceeds to the final stage,” he explained.

Ponpes Closed by Ministry of Religious Affairs

The Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) has closed the pondok pesantren in Tlogowungu, Pati, following findings of the rape case involving dozens of female students. The students will be transferred to other ponpes in Pati.

According to Head of the Pati Regency Ministry of Religious Affairs Office, Ahmad Syaiku, AS founded the ponpes in Tlogowungu Subdistrict in 2021.

“Operational permit since 2021 until today,” Syaiku said at the Pati Regency Pendopo on Sunday.

Although holding the status as ponpes founder, Syaiku said AS was not part of the ponpes management structure.

“The perpetrator is not in the pondok structure; the permit is from AS, but he is not listed as a supervisor or ustaz. His status is as founder (of the ponpes),” he stated.

Syaiku said three decisions have been issued regarding the alleged molestation incident at the Pati ponpes by one of its supervisors.

“From the Director General of Pesantren of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, there are three recommendations. First, temporary closure, meaning no new students for this academic year; second, the supervisor must be separated from the foundation, meaning not in that foundation. The third recommendation, if points one and two are not complied with, the Ministry of Religious Affairs will close it permanently,” Syaiku said.

Syaiku stated that the ponpes has 252 students, consisting of 112 female students and the rest male students.

“The school levels are”