The “bride,” who introduced herself as Widya Musdalifah, was actually 25-year-old Simpatri, a man from Baubau, Southeast Sulawesi.
According to Pinrang police, Simpatri met MR about 6 months ago through social media. During their conversations, he always wore Islamic clothing, covering his face, even during video calls.
Simpatri told MR he was an orphan living alone in Baubau. Sympathizing with his supposed plight, MR sent him money several times for personal expenses.
On 30/7, MR flew to meet his “girlfriend.” Simpatri took MR to a cemetery, claiming it was his parents’ grave. Locals later dubbed this the “cemetery drama,” one part of an elaborate deception.
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Simpatri (left) with his face covered before being discovered and after revealing his face (right). Photo: Newsflare |
Simpatri (left) with his face covered before being discovered and after revealing his face (right). Photo: Newsflare
On 12/8, MR proposed and held a wedding ceremony in Pinrang. However, the groom's family grew suspicious when the “bride” refused to show any identification and had no family members present.
Under pressure, Simpatri removed his face covering, revealing a mustache and beard, shocking the guests. He was immediately detained by attendees and handed over to the police after nearly being assaulted by the crowd.
During the investigation, Simpatri admitted to the charade, confessing he was only interested in exploiting MR financially.
“MR respected his partner so much that he considered her a truly devout woman and didn’t ask her to remove her face covering,” said Pinrang Police Chief Edy Sabhara.
Reporting by Nhat Minh (infojatengterkini)
