Businessman denies kidnapping boy

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

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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