Police in Bolaang Mongondow regency, North Sulawesi have apprehended five high school students suspected of sexually assaulting their classmate as shown in a viral video.
The video, which has been making the rounds online this week, shows a girl in her high school uniform being held down on the floor while several of her classmates surround her. The classmates, of whom at least one is a girl, then groped her in her private regions with her unable to fight back.
Local police have identified the people in the video and moved to arrest five students suspected of sexual assault. All five have been charged with sexual assault of a minor under Indonesia’s child protection law, which is a crime punishable by five to 15 years in prison.
However, police say that the suspects may be given some leniency in accordance to the country’s juvenile justice system.
“It all depends on what approach we take in this case,” Bolaang Mongondow Police Chief Indra Pramana told reporters yesterday, as quoted by Kumparan.
The five suspects are reportedly not being held in police custody while investigation into the incident continues.
When questioned by the police, one suspect said that he regretted groping the victim.
“We were just playing,” he said, as quoted by Tribun.
“We did not think it would turn out like this.”
Local child services say they’re going to give psychological counseling to both the suspects and the victim.
