The Central Borneo Provincial Police have named Yansen Binti, a legislator at the Central Java Regional Council (DPRD), a suspect in an arson case involving seven elementary schools in the province’s capital of Palangkaraya that all burned down within the month of July.
After previously arresting seven people suspected of the arson, the police yesterday revealed that the legislator and another suspect are believed to be behind the destruction of the schools.
“YB (Yansen Binti) is still under investigation, but his previous status as a witness (in the case) was upgraded to suspect in the case of arson involving seven schools,” said Central Borneo Police Spokesperson Pambudi Rahayu, as quoted by CNN Indonesia yesterday.
“Aside from YB, the Central Borneo Police also apprehended AG, who is strongly suspected of being involved in the crime.”
The police did not reveal exactly how YB and AG were involved and their motivations, but said that they each face up to 15 years in prison for being accomplices in the crime.
YB and AG were both flown to the National Police Headquarters in Jakarta for further investigation. The police also conducted searches in YB’s office and residence in Palangkaraya.
The seven elementary schools were believed to have been deliberately set on fire after they were burned down under suspicious circumstances, such as the fires starting while the schools were practically empty and from specific locations inside the schools. The extent of the damages to the schools varied, but there were luckily no reports of any injuries from the fires.
The Palangkaraya City Administration is rebuilding all seven schools using the province’s regional budget and, potentially, donations from corporations. The administration is targeting the rebuilding to be complete by early 2018.
