Collapsed mosque owner named suspect

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