Jakarta Police: 3 Suspects Paid Children to Join August Protest - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Jakarta Metro Police have detained three suspects accused of exploiting children during riots that followed a protest in Jakarta on August 27, 2026.
The three suspects, identified by the initials B, N and P, allegedly recruited children to take part in the protest by offering them money, according to Jakarta Metro Police’s Directorate of Women and Children Protection and Human Trafficking Prevention.
“They influenced and provoked children to take part in the protest by offering them a certain amount of money,” director Rita Wulandari Wibowo said at a press conference at Jakarta Metro Police headquarters on Saturday, September 12. Police did not present the suspects at the press conference.
Rita said the first suspect, B, had recruited 53 children and promised each Rp55,000. The second suspect, N, a woman, allegedly gathered 22 children and promised them Rp50,000 each.
The third suspect, P, allegedly recruited eight children and planned to give each of them Rp40,000.
Investigators found evidence of money transfers, Rita said. The transfers linked to B totaled Rp2.35 million, while those linked to N amounted to Rp842,500 and those linked to P totaled Rp250,000.
“However, this is only based on the evidence we have seen. There are several other matters that we need to investigate further, as the transactions indicate other activities that require further verification,” Rita said.
The three suspects are accused of violating provisions of Indonesia’s Child Protection Law concerning the involvement of children in activities that could harm them. They face up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of Rp100 million under Article 76H in conjunction with Article 87 of Law No. 35 of 2014 on Child Protection.
They also face charges under Article 76I in conjunction with Article 88 of the same law for alleged economic exploitation, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to Rp200 million.
