Singaporean arrested in Batam for allegedly sexually abusing his underage stepdaughter

JAKARTA – Police in Batam, Indonesia have arrested a Singaporean national who allegedly sexually abused his underage stepdaughter for over two years.

Police arrested the 50-year-old man, whom they identified as AH, at his house in the Mutiara View residential complex in Sekupang, Batam, Riau Islands on September 7. They also confiscated two mobile phones and a passport, among other items.

“According to our investigations, the perpetrator had sexual intercourse with the victim about 120 times. He did this several times a week on his return trips to Batam,” said Police Commissioner Heribertus Ompusunggu, chief of the Barelang District Police, on September 21.

Under Indonesian law, any sexual act with a person under the age of 18, whether with or without mutual consent, including through persuasion or lying, is considered a crime.

The case came to light after Sekupang police received a report from a friend of the 16-year-old victim's mother, named AF.

The alleged sexual abuse began shortly after AF, who had previously lived with her grandmother in Karawang, West Java, moved to Batam to be with her mother in June 2022. AH and the two lived under the same roof and often slept together in the same room and bed.

One day in July 2022, the girl was sleeping in the same room as AH while her mother was sleeping in another room. After giving AF a drink containing jasmine flowers, AH allegedly sexually assaulted her, police said.

On September 7, 2024, the victim's mother asked her friend for help in escaping the house because she could no longer bear her husband's violence and the sexual abuse of her daughter.

The victim's mother was afraid to report the case because the alleged perpetrator had repeatedly threatened to kill her, said Chief Inspector Heribertus.

Police have detained AH for further investigation into alleged breaches of the Child Protection Act 2016.

If convicted, police said he could face a prison sentence of five to 15 years, plus an additional sentence of one-third of the prison term because he is the victim's stepfather.