The same-sex marriage, which is illegal in Indonesia, took place after one of the women was found to have disguised herself as a man, according to police.
The two women returned from Malaysia last November and the “male spouse” using the name Farel, was officially married to Salmah at the latter’s hometown of Tanjongbalai in North Sumatera. Two days later, Farel went to Malaysia, as her “wife” remained.
The whole affair came to light after Farel was found to have given birth last Thursday just a week after returning from Malaysia. She had dumped the baby just 50 meters from Salmah’s house.
Residents confronted the couple after becoming suspicious that it was Farel who had abandoned the baby.
“Farel told us she was a widower with a child, so we were not suspicious when she married Salmah,” Daman Wuri, who lives nearby, was quoted as saying by The Jakarta Post.
An officer with the Tanjungbalai police said Farel acknowledged being a woman, saying she dumped her baby to cover her disguise.
Meanwhile, Salmah claimed to be innocent of the charge of same-sex marriage, telling police that she did not know Farel was actually a woman.
According to police, Salmah said she also did not have any intimate relationship with Farel, even after their marriage.
“I am still normal,” she was quoted as saying by Jakarta Post, adding that if she had known, she would not have married Farel.