Candidate burns ballot boxes after losing election

A legislative candidate allegedly burnt five ballot boxes in Wajo, Makassar, on Sunday, as he was disappointment at losing the legislative election.

Andi Syahrul from the Reform Democratic Party (PDP) was named a suspect in the burning of the ballot boxes, which were kept in a logistics warehouse of the General Elections Commission in Wajo, after a police investigation.

Head of Wajo Police, Adj. Sr. Comr. Taufiq, confirmed Sunday that the burning of the boxes was intentional.

“A crime scene investigation led us to find evidence of a bottle of gasoline and a cellular phone at the crime scene. The window of the warehouse was also broken. The perpetrators might have entered the warehouse through the window,” he said.

From the cellphone, he said, Police discerned that Andi masterminded the ballot burning. Andi failed to garner a significant amount of votes in the April 9 election.

“In the cellphone was a short message from Andi Syahrul, telling the perpetrators to burn the boxes, which were filled with ballots from the last legislative election,” Taufiq added.

Andi, however, could not be contacted for a statement.

Taufiq added that the Police are still working on identifying the ballot burners.

“The Wajo Police are on the trail of the suspect and the burners,” he said.