14 more suspects named in OKU clash case

Ansyor Idrus, The Jakarta Post, Palembang | Archipelago | Mon, March 18 2013, 8:14 PM

The second Regional Military Command (Kodam II) Sriwijaya’s military police detachment named 14 more suspects in the recent police-military clash that saw an arson attack on the Ogan Komering Ulu (OKU) police headquarters in Baturaja, South Sumatra, by soldiers. In total, 20 suspects have been named, including six soldiers from the military command’s 15/76 Field Artillery Battalion (Yon Armed) suspects.

“As of today, we have named 20 suspects. Based on the investigation’s results, there are 14 more suspects implicated in the incidents,” said Kodam II Sriwijaya spokesperson Col.Arm.Jauhari Agus Suraji on Monday. The figure might increase further as the investigation was still underway, he added.

Fourteen soldiers named as suspects in the OKU clash include First Pvt. FT; Sgt. AR, First Pvt. JR; First Pvt. IP; Chief Pvt. YA; Chief Pvt. SB; First Pvt. TT; First Pvt. AG; Second Pvt. DCW; First Pvt. AS; Chief Pvt. HW; Second Pvt. HOUR; Second Cpl. HC; and First Pvt. MA.

Six military personnel previously named as suspects are Maj. IA; First Sgt. HMF; First Sgt. IR; First Cpl. EY; Chief Pvt. DM; and First Pvt. TM.

“We named Maj. IA as a suspect not because he was involved in setting the OKU police station on fire but because he could not control his men,” said Kodam II Sriwijaya chief Maj. Gen. Nugroho Widyotomo. He said the documents of two suspects had been handed over to the Military Court in Palembang. But the documents of the four other suspects still needed to be completed.

Nugroho stressed that the OKU police station attack was not systematically designed by the military institution.

“It was triggered by an altercation that began when First Pvt. Heru and Brig. Wijaya mocked each other resulting in Pvt. Heru being shot dead,” he said.

Around 90 percent of the OKU building, as well as 70 motor cycles and 9 cars, were burnt during the incident. Four police officers from the OKU police precinct and one cleaner were injured during the clash.

Edi Maryono, the 72-year-old cleaner, died on Saturday after 10 days at Dr. Noesmir Baturaja Hospital. (ebf)