Sharia Policeman Caught With a Girl: Banda Aceh, Sumatra

By Barrie | April 20th, 2007 | 5 Comments »

A member of Aceh’s sharia police was caught with a teenage girl in a Banda Aceh public bathroom on Thursday night. Raihan, 33, and Magda, 17, were found by military personnel patrolling Ie Masen village in Ulee Kareng district. The two were handed to village officials.

“They were caught at 1:30 a.m. inside a public bathroom,” Jamaluddin, the village’s secretary, said.

The village residents decided that the two, who were alleged to be lovers, should get married in accordance with the local custom.

Raihan said he was wrong and had acted against sharia, which has been implemented in the province since 2001. “I confessed my wrongdoing and I’ll marry her,” he told journalists.

He said the two were childhood friends and both had no living relatives.

The sharia police chief in Banda Aceh, Bahagia, said he could not decide what to do with Raihan. “I’ve no comment. No decision has been made on his punishment,” he said.

Raihan’s case adds to a long list of sharia violations by Aceh officials this month.

Sabang district court head Puji Wijayanto was recently caught with his girlfriend Rina, although the case is still being processed as he has claimed the two are relatives.

Meanwhile, police officer Darus was caught with a girl in a car in Kuala Batu airport’s parking lot in Susoh district.

A large number of people founding guilty of gambling, drinking alcohol and “indecent acts” have been punished with public caning in the province.

Nani Afrida