Young boy sodomized, murdered in Cirebon

Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon, West Java

Police here on Friday said they had arrested an 18-year-old youth on charges of sodomizing and murdering eight-year-old Domas, an elementary school student from Cirebon regency, West Java.

Cadirah alias Aceng bin Durakim, a laborer, was arrested at his brother's home in the hamlet of East Karangdawa in Lemahwungkuk, the Cirebon Police's chief of detectives, Adj. Comr. Taufik Asrori, told The Jakarta Post.

"We arrested the suspect based on information from local people and our investigations in the field. We believe he killed a second-year elementary school student after sodomizing him," he said.

He said the crime took place last Tuesday at Kejawanan port, Pagambiran.

Taufik said the suspect, who said he was homosexual, had told investigators that he became sexually aroused while watching his victim playing soccer.

Cadirah later persuaded Domas to accompany him by buying him a cake. The suspect also promised him money, the police detectives' chief said.

He said Domas was then taken to the boat, where he was handcuffed and had his feet bound by the suspect, who then sodomized him a number of times.

While being sodomized, the child cried out causing Cadirah to bang the victim's head against the side of the boat to silence him, Taufik said.

"Afterwards, the suspect carried his unconscious victim and hid him in some bushes near the port. He then decided to kill the victim by hitting his head with a large stone."

Taufik said Cadirah had admitted the crime. "The suspect said the victim had asked him for money several times. As the two often met, the suspect said he had fallen in love with Domas."

An autopsy conducted at the Gunung Jati General Hospital in Cirebon revealed that Domas' body displayed injuries consistent with his having been battered by a hard object. There were also serious wounds to the back of his head.

It was also discovered that the victim's anus had sustained injuries. "It is evident that he had been sodomized by the suspect," Taufik said.

Cadirah is being held at Cirebon police station for questioning on charges of violating Article 338 of the Criminal Code on murder, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in jail.

He is also accused of violating Article 18 of Law No. 23/2002 on the protection of children, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

This is the third sodomy case involving young children that has been recorded by the Cirebon police since last May.