Police in Gowa, South Sulawesi, have arrested 10 people for allegedly beating a man to death on Dec
olice in Gowa, South Sulawesi, have arrested 10 people for allegedly beating a man to death on Dec. 10 in the country’s latest case of deadly mob violence.
The victim, identified as 23-year-old student Muhammad Khaidir, was attacked by a mob inside a mosque after he was falsely accused of being a thief.
The Gowa Police confirmed that Muhammad, who was a resident of Selayar regency and a student at Makassar’s East Indonesia University, did not commit any crime. He was reportedly in Gowa en route to visit a cousin in Jeneponto, South Sulawesi.
According to the police, the incident started when the victim went to the mosque at around 2 a.m. to observe tahajud (a voluntary night prayer) and found it locked. He then knocked on the door of a nearby resident, identified as YDS, to ask him to open the mosque.
YDS reportedly became angry at Muhammad for knocking on his door and reprimanded him. Muhammad, the police said, apparently ignored the admonishment and left.
YDS then rushed to the mosque’s caretaker, identified as RDN, who announced on a loudspeaker that there was a thief at the mosque, kompas.com reported.
Residents started gathering at the mosque in response to the announcement and Muhammad, unaware that he was being accused of theft, also joined the crowd, which immediately attacked him.
YDS and RDN are among the 10 arrested in connection with the incident. “All suspects have been charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code on mob violence, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison,” National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dedi Prasetyo said as quoted by kompas.com on Monday.
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