Suspect in 22 deaths arrested for possession of explosive materials
Suspect in 22 deaths arrested for possession of explosive materials
Nana Rukmana, The Jakarta Post, Cirebon
The wife of Edy Soekamto, a suspect in the deaths of 22 people
in a firecracker plant explosion in Central Java less than two
weeks ago, has been arrested for the possession of 1.8 tons of
firecracker explosives.
Cirebon Police said they raided a rice mill in Losari Kidul,
Losari district on Monday night, where they discovered 37
containers of explosive powder.
Cirebon Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Musyafak said police
arrested Lirih Soekamto, 40, for the alleged possessed of the
materials.
Musyafak said Lirih was the wife of Edy, the owner of the
firecracker plant in Tegal where 22 people died in an explosion
less than two weeks ago.
Agus Supriyadi, alias Tan Kun Tek, 65, the mill's owner, and
Iwan Setiawan, alias Sun Kwan, 47, the mill's guard were also
arrested.
Edy, also known as Kam Hok Seng, 45, and Kosasih, 60, a
retired Navy commander and former Tegal legislative speaker, have
been declared suspects in the deaths and are being detained by
Slawi Police.
They are facing a maximum jail term of five years if found
guilty of Criminal Code violations relating to the care of
employees. They also face other charges relating to the illegal
possession of explosive materials.
Cirebon detective's chief Adj. Comr. Indra Dharmawan said that
Lirih and Agus and been declared suspects after the bust, while
the security guard Lirah was free to go.
He said the suspects faced maximum jail terms of 20 years if
found guilty of violating Law No. 12/1951 on explosive materials
under state of emergency laws.
Iwan, who has been working as a guard for six years, told The
Jakarta Post that he did not know about the materials but had
been warned by Lirih against smoking near the containers.
"I never knew about the containers' contents but I know that
they were brought in from Jakarta," he said, adding that the
containers were moved to the rice mill last Wednesday.
Police said the containers were marked 'Made in China'.