Bengkulu mayor's aide held for arson

Bengkulu mayor's aide held for arson

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police said on Tuesday they had arrested a police adjutant
assigned to Bengkulu Mayor Chalik Effendi in connection with an
alleged arson attack on the official residence of local chief
prosecutor Rusdi Taher.

The adjutant, 26, identified only by his rank and initials,
First Brig. SN, is being held on charges of masterminding the
arson on Dec. 9, Bengkulu Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. M. Elia WM
was quoted by Antara as saying.

"Three other suspects we had arrested earlier -- Spo, Sub and
Elf, who perpetrated the attack -- confessed to being ordered by
SN," Elia added.

He said the three suspects had complained they could not
condone being detained while the mastermind remained free.

The adjutant, a member of the Bengkulu Police force, was
officially detained at around 12 a.m. on Monday, shortly after
accompanying Chalik to an event at Fatmawati Soekarno Airport,
Bengkulu, Elia said.

Rusdi had recently declared Chalik a suspect in a graft scam
involving a Rp 7.6 billion fund for 19 local development
projects.

Police are investigating the possibility that the charged
mayor was implicated in the arson case.

The chief prosecutor had also named 30 members of the 1999-
2004 Bengkulu legislative council as suspects in a separate
corruption case involving more than Rp 2 billion from the
municipal budget.

He added that the Spo, Sub and Elf had been promised around Rp
50 million (US$5,555) by SN to set fire to the residence of
Rusdi, head of the Bengkulu Prosecutor's Office, but the adjutant
did not fulfill his end of the deal.

"The three only received Rp 2.3 million for operational costs
and Rp 7.3 million after the crime," Elia said.

No fatalities were reported in the fire, but two cars, two
motorcycles and furniture were damaged.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman said in Jakarta
that police had seized on Monday a Mitsubishi Kuda, two Suzuki
motorcycles and three Nokia cell phones in connection with the
case.

Elia said the police were searching for another suspect who
eluded arrest after the arson.

Prosecutors working on high-profile cases have often been the
target of intimidation and death threats.

Earlier this year, gunmen shot dead a prosecutor who had been
instrumental in jailing terrorist suspects in Palu, Central
Sulawesi.