Businessman denies kidnapping boy

TANGERANG: Wearing a blue detainee's uniform, Sarwoto, a businessman, denied on Wednesday that he was involved in the abduction of eight-year-old Muhamad Hegel Muthahhari in Serpong, Tangerang.

Sarwoto, who was arrested on Tuesday at the Wisma Arcadia building in South Jakarta, claimed that he had merely ordered one of the seven suspects in the case, Taher Lestaluhu, to collect a debt from the boy's father.

"I came here from my hometown of Semarang, Central Java to meet my lawyer at the Wisma Arcadia to give a clarification of the case. But I was arrested, instead," he told reporters from his cell at the Serpong police subprecinct office.

However, the police believe that Sarwoto masterminded the abduction based on the testimony of Taher and other suspects.

The boy's father, Meirizal Zulkarnaen, had earlier alleged that Sarwoto and 40 creditors arranged the kidnapping. He admitted that his company owed debts worth Rp 4.5 billion to 150 creditors.

Hegel was abducted on July 30 at his elementary school, and was eventually found safe in a room at the Hotel Horison in North Jakarta on Aug. 8. Eight people, including Sarwoto, have been arrested for allegedly being involved in the abduction. -- JP

;JP;SUFA; ANPAj..r.. Greater-garbage-rally Villagers block garbage equipment JP/8/garbage

Villagers block garbage equipment

BOGOR: Hundreds of Bojong villagers have obstructed a delivery of conveyor belts that are to be used for processing garbage in Jakarta's planned dump site in the village.

The delivery of the equipment on Tuesday was canceled by private company PT Wira Gulfindo Sarana (PT WGF), which manages the dump site, after it received information that the villagers had blocked the road to the site.

"We blocked it because we are afraid that the dump site will be opened soon and will damage our environment," Ujang, one of the villagers, said.

Separately, head of Bogor regency's legal office Nuradi said the regency would help PT WGF secure the delivery of the equipment, as long as the company guaranteed that the environment would not suffer from the planned dump.

Bojong dump is expected to accommodate 2,000 tons of garbage from the capital each day. The dump is scheduled to open in December. -- JP