Allegations and arrest
The suspect, identified by police as MJH, is a 36-year-old contract teacher who taught Islamic religious studies at SD Negeri 107407 Rimo Mungkur in Bekukul village, Namorambe district, Deli Serdang regency.
Parents of the eight children reported the allegations to police after the case surfaced in October. On Oct. 27, parents and local residents confronted MJH at the school and threatened to assault him. Police detained him that day.
Deli Serdang Police Chief Senior Commissioner Muhammad said investigators had gathered enough preliminary evidence to name MJH a suspect.
"The suspect has admitted to the allegations. He told investigators that he had inappropriately touched the students during lessons since July," Muhammad said.
Police said the children were in grades 1 through 6. They described allegations of touching sensitive body parts during lessons in July and August 2026, both inside classrooms and elsewhere on school grounds.
Police inquiry and government response
Investigators have interviewed all eight children and more than 10 witnesses in total. Police collected evidence, including the children's uniforms and MJH's clothing, and arranged medical examinations of the alleged victims. Forensic medical examinations have been conducted, according to police accounts reported by Liputan6 and CNN Indonesia.
Police said MJH was being held for 20 days for the investigation. They are also examining whether other students may have been abused.
The charges fall under Article 6(c) of Law No. 12/2022 on Sexual Violence Crimes, in conjunction with Article 15(1), Deli Serdang Police said. The offense carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison.
At an Oct. 29, 2026, press conference, local officials announced that the regency administration had terminated MJH's employment after he was named a suspect and was taking steps to revoke his teaching certification. The administration was also providing psychological and legal assistance to the alleged victims and counseling for their parents.
National figures and legal context
The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry recorded about 21,352 children experiencing violence in 2025, with sexual abuse accounting for 12,338 cases.
A separate measure cited by the ministry concerns lifetime exposure to violence. According to ANTARA News, the ministry said the 2024 National Survey on the Life Experiences of Children and Adolescents found that 1 in 2 Indonesian children ages 13 to 17, or about 11.5 million, had experienced at least one form of violence.
Indonesian law also provides for chemical castration as an additional penalty for child sexual violence offenders under Law No. 17/2016 and Government Regulation No. 70/2020, though courts rarely impose it. In a separate case in December 2025, the Sumenep District Court in East Java sentenced a boarding school head to 20 years in prison and chemical castration for assaulting eight students, The Jakarta Post reported.
