Pedohile Soni Sandra Sentenced to Nine Years' Imprisonment

Kediri, E Java (Antara) - The Kediri City District Court awarded a nine-year jail term to 60-year-old businessman Soni Sandra and imposed an Rp250 million, or around US$18,400, fine or an additional four-month imprisonment for sexually abusing three under-aged girls.

"Defendant Soni Sandra is guilty of committing crimes, deceit, and lies to persuade children to have sex with him," Presiding Judge Purnomo Amin Tjahjo stated during a trial here, Thursday.

Soni has violated Law No. 23 of 2002 on Child Protection.

Soni's lawyer said his client had not yet decided whether to appeal to a higher court.

During the trial, it was revealed that Soni had given money and birth control pills to the three victims, who were around 14 years old, after having sex with them.

The pedophile will face another trial in the Kediri City District Court on May 23 for similar cases of sexual abuse involving two girls.

Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin, on his Twitter account on Thursday, commented that the sentence was "too light."

Chairman of the Commission of Indonesian Children Protection (KPAI) Asrorun Ni'am informed the media that the verdict issued by the Kediri City District Court of granting nine years' imprisonment would not have a deterrent effect.

"The verdict is not in line with the president's (Joko Widodo's) commitment that child sex crime is an extraordinary crime," he was quoted as saying by Media Indonesia, on Thursday.

According to the KPAI, Soni had allegedly sexually abused 58 under-aged girls, but most of them kept mum for some reason.

Soni had allegedly offered Rp50 million and a motorcycle to one of his victims, asking her to not testify in court.(*)