Syech Puji already has 1 wife. But in August 2008, then 42-year old Syech Puji decided that his then 25-year old wife Ummi Hani was not enough for him. So he took Lutfiana Ulfa as his unofficial wife. Lutfiana Ulfa was then 2 months away from her 12th birthday, and she had just started her studies at a local junior high school.

Lutfiana Ulfa became a child bride when Syech Puji married her in a nikah siri (informal marriage) ceremony. This brought a chorus of disapproval and condemnation from many Indonesians, with some questioning whether this nikah siri is merely a cover for pedophilia, particularly as Syech Puji had also announced his intention to marry 2 other young girls, aged 9 and 7 respectively.

Syech Puji is no ordinary Muslim man trying to marry 4 wives. He is in fact a Muslim cleric and he runs an Islamic boarding school called Ponpes Miftahul Jannah in Central Java. Moreover Syech Puji is also a very rich man, being the owner of PT Sinar Lendoh Terang (Silenter), an exporter of local handicrafts.

The Anti-Corruption Civil Society Coalition (Kompak) filed a police report against Syech Puji who was then charged with child abuse. But in 2009, a judge at the Ungaran District Court released Syech Puji citing incomplete and vague indictment. The judge said at that time: "Puji is acquitted from all charges and therefore, he must be released from jail."

The Attorney General Office appealed that ruling, and now the appeal judge has found Syech Puji guilty.

http://www.theyoungturks.com/