Depok minivan rapist given light sentence of 10 years

Depok minivan rapist given light sentence of 10 years

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 03/20/2012 8:55 AM

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The Depok District Court on Monday sentenced M. Saat Dalimunte, the defendant of a public minivan rape case, to 10 years in prison.

Johanes Brian Richo and Deden Rosadi, the other two defendants in the case, are still waiting for their verdicts.

Presiding judge Wahyu Fitria said that Dalimunte, 19, was found guilty for raping RS, a vegetable vendor, and forcefully taking her earrings. Dalimunte was also guilty of driving the vehicle, which was used on the Bekasi–Kampung Melayu route, without a license.

Dalimunte said that he was still considering filing an appeal.

The prosecutors previously demanded 11 years for Dalimunte, eight years for Johanes and six years for Deden. The three were charged for allegedly breaching the Criminal Code’s Article 365 on armed robbery and Article 285 on rape.

Johanes and Deden, both 18 years old, were taken to the same trial as the judges considered their young age.

The three defendants allegedly assaulted RS, who was on her way to a traditional market in Depok at 3 a.m. on Dec. 14 last year.

RS reportedly had been beaten and suffered substantial injuries to both her genitalia and her forehead.

The rapists also took her earrings and Rp 500,000 (US$55) she was carrying before dumping her on Jl. Alternatif Cibubur, 2 kilometers from the Cikeas precinct post. RS was found by patrol police officers.

Less than two weeks after the incident, the City Police, along with the Depok Police, arrested Johanes and Deden in Bandung, West Java.

The two had moved to several places to avoid arrest, including to Bekasi, Cikampek and Bogor. Dalimunte was caught in Medan, North Sumatra, few days later.

Police said that the three had robbed on numerous occasions before the incident with RS, who was their seventh victim.

Another trial on public minivan rape is taking place at the West Jakarta District Court.

Four men accused of raping and killing Livia Pavita Soelistiyo, a student of Bina Nusantara (Binus) University who was found dead in August last year, stood at their first trial in December.

Irwan Soleh, 22, Rohman Setiawan, 20, Muhammad Fahri, 19, and Apriyadi, 22, allegedly robbed Livia, gang-raped her and killed her on board a M24 public minivan plying the Srengseng to Kebon Jeruk route before dumping her body in Cisauk, Tangerang, on Aug. 16.

Prosecutors said the suspects breached Criminal Code Articles 340 and 338 on premeditated murder and Article 365 on armed robbery.

The defendants may face anything from 20 years in prison to life.

Rampant rape cases on public minivans prompted the Jakarta Transportation Agency to strengthen strict regulations on public transportation drivers.

The city administration started to enforce a 2003 Transportation Ministry decree on public transportation on Jan. 9 in an effort to curb crimes on public minivans. The agency also sanctioned public minivan drivers without identity cards.

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