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.