Fresh accounts from victims describe how Kiai Ashari, already arrested on May 7 in Wonogiri for allegedly abusing dozens of santriwati at Pondok Pesantren Ndolo Kusumo in Pati, deliberately moved sleeping locations and used spiritual pretexts to target students.
Kiai Ashari was detained by Pati police in Purwantoro, Wonogiri, after evading earlier summons. He had been on the move from Kudus through Bogor, Jakarta and Solo before officers found him at a local mosque around 04:00 WIB.
Victims say Ashari kept no fixed bedroom at the pesantren and rotated sleeping places so he could call santriwati to him at night. One 20-year-old survivor, Tari, told Denny Sumargo’s podcast that he chose targets by appearance and often asked for massages, sometimes under the guise of spiritual healing. Her father, Pak Di, who helped found the pesantren, grew suspicious after noticing how frequently Ashari replaced the girls he summoned.
Former Pati Regent Sudewo called the case deeply troubling and welcomed both the arrest and the planned revocation of the pesantren’s permit. Police continue to seek additional victims and evidence.
