Five suspects arrested over killing of police
Five suspects arrested over killing of police
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): Local police arrested five men
on Sunday for their alleged involvement in the murder of Second
Insp. Don Bosco Sagala, a police officer said on Monday.
The investigation team, comprising personnel from the South
Sulawesi Police Headquarters, Takalar and Gowa Police, made the
arrests following a sweep to apprehend the perpetrators of the
killing last Friday.
South Sulawesi Police detectives chief Sr. Supt. Untung S.
Radjab said the five suspects were Agus Suara, Muhajir, Haris
Tojeng, Mahaning Ngoyo and Maliang. All are being held at the
Gowa Police station.
Untung said the police were searching for three other suspects
named Bazar, Haris Situju and Po'golo Tinggi.
He added that police received information from one of the
witnesses who was questioned the same night when the killing
occurred.
Shortly after receiving the information, police conducted the
sweep and found the five suspects were still in the village.
"We arrested the five without any resistance," Untung said.
Sagala, a police detective with Takalar Police, was attacked
during a wedding reception at Leko Bodong village, when he,
accompanied by five officers, tried to arrest Bazar for robbery.
Bazar, backed by the other suspects, resisted arrest and
turned violent after Sagala fired warning shots and mistakenly
shot a local named Rala. Sagala was outnumbered and murdered.
He had served on the police force for 20 years.
Meanwhile, Gowa Police chief Supt. I Komang Udayana said the
five admitted to investigators that they helped Bazar catch and
mob Sagala to death.
"One of the five said he helped in the assault, but he did not
know that Sagala was a police officer until the latter pulled out
his gun and shot Rala," Komang said.
The officer said he expected the residents to help police find
Bazar and the other suspects still at large.
Mob violence against the police was experienced by Sinjai
Police deputy chief Sr. Insp. Sappewali last month, but the
officer managed to escape. (27/lup)