Indonesian bomoh held over alleged rape of woman

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SIBU: An Indonesian vegetable seller, who claimed to be a ‘bomoh’, was arrested on suspicion of raping a 20-year-old woman while treating her for stomach pain.

District police chief ACP Saiful Bahri Abdullah said the 29-year-old foreigner was arrested at a market in Tatau, Bintulu yesterday morning, and will be brought here for further investigation.

He said the rape allegation came to light after the victim complained of stomach pain to her mother on Tuesday.

“The mother then took her to Sibu Hospital. We later received a report of the alleged rape the same afternoon,” he told reporters yesterday.

According to Saiful, the victim had earlier complained of pain in her stomach to her mother, who then sought the bomoh’s help.

“The mother called the bomoh to treat her daughter because she herself had previously sought treatment from the same man over a skin problem on three occasions in Tatau,” he said.

Saiful disclosed that the suspect came here from Tatau by bus and headed to the victim’s house in Sibu Jaya where he began treating her around midnight on Monday.

“The treatment on the victim was done in front of her mother and an aunt in a room at the house, where the suspect had allegedly massaged the victim’s stomach and inserted his finger into her vagina.

“He claimed that the victim was no longer a virgin and that she needed to get rid of dirty fluids inside her body.”

He added the suspect then brought the victim to the bathroom for a cleansing ritual, but then allegedly raped her.

“After the treatment, the suspect spent the night at the victim’s house before leaving for Tatau on Tuesday morning.”

The case is being investigated under Section 376 and Section 377CA of the Penal Code.