Collapsed mosque owner named suspect

JAKARTA: The owner of a mosque in Koja, North Jakarta, was declared a suspect on Tuesday evening, after police found sufficient evidence that he had caused the deaths of workers by allowing the construction of the mosque to continue.

North Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Dede Suryana said that Muhammad Bahar, the owner of Baturrahman mosque, was charged under Articles 359 and 360 of the Criminal Code on negligence that had led to the collapse of the mosque minaret in which four workers died and dozens of people were injured.

"We named him a suspect last night. We have charged him with negligence that caused death and injury," Dede said.

Article 359 on death caused by negligence carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, while Article 360 on negligence leading to injury also carries a maximum five-year prison term.

The minaret collapsed early last week while work was ongoing to renovate it. The city administration revealed subsequently that the mosque had no building permit. -- JP