WhatsApp Group of 27 Sampang Rape Suspects Named 'Teh Gembul'

Police have revealed that 27 suspects in the brutal gang rape of a 15-year-old girl in Sampang Regency, East Java, communicated via a WhatsApp group named ‘Teh Gembul’. Sampang Police Chief AKBP Hartono stated the group was deliberately created as a means of communication for the perpetrators. ‘It is true, they created a group. Their WhatsApp group was called Teh Gembul,’ Hartono said. He noted that the group has since been abandoned by its members and is currently inactive. Despite this, investigators are continuing to probe the group to fully uncover the involvement of all perpetrators. ‘We are still investigating the WhatsApp group. Our focus now is on hunting down the suspects who are still at large,’ Hartono added. The mass rape case, which has shocked the public in Madura, involved a 15-year-old girl who was sexually assaulted by 27 males, predominantly teenagers and minors. The crime was reported by the victim’s family to the Sampang Police. Investigations revealed the assaults occurred six times between February and June 2026 across the districts of Sampang, Camplong, and Omben. To date, police have detained 13 suspects, nine of whom have been handed over to prosecutors. The remaining 14 suspects are still being pursued and have been placed on the wanted list.