Mangrove felling suspects detained

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

The Jakarta Police arrested on Monday three people suspected of being behind the felling of more than 200 mangrove trees after questioning them for several hours. They were arrested for violating the Environmental Law, which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.

"We detained them because our investigation revealed that the three gave instructions to cut the mangrove trees," the city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo said.

The suspects are identified as Francis Moniaga from PT Rainbow Cipta Utama ad agency, Agus Suseno from PT Grand Skylindo ad agency and Purwadi from toll road operator PT Jasa Marga.

The three suspects were summoned on May 27 but none of them showed up, citing various excuses. The police rescheduled the questioning for Monday and immediately detained them.

Police investigators can immediately detain suspects if they have strong evidence that the suspects have violated a law that carries a sentence of at least five years imprisonment.

Prasetyo earlier said the three suspects would be charged under Environment Law No. 23/1997, Law No. 5/1990 on conserving natural resources and the ecosystem, as well as Law No. 41/1999 on forestry.

The three have been accused of instructing people to cut 240 mangrove trees in a protected mangrove forest along the Prof. Dr. Sedyatmo toll road in North Jakarta, heading to the Soekarno- Hatta International Airport.

The presence of mangrove trees, which grow in coastal and swampy areas, is critical in helping reduce the impact of annual flooding in the city, especially on the busy airport toll road.