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Police suspect arson, hunt for culprits behind AGO blaze
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Firefighters douse a fire at the Attorney General's Office building in Jakarta on Aug. 22. (AFP/Adek Berry)
T
he National Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) has found evidence that the fire that ravaged the main building of the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) complex in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, in August was lit intentionally.
Bareskrim chief detective Comr. Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the fire was caused by an open flame rather than an electrical short circuit, leading investigators to conclude in a preliminary probe that there could be criminal factors behind the fire.
The police have now finished the preliminary investigation and are focusing on finding those responsible for the blaze.
“Based on the findings so far, investigators say there is suspicion of criminal acts behind the incident,” Listyo said at a press briefing on Thursday.
The fire broke out in a meeting room on the sixth floor of the building at 6:15 p.m. on Aug. 22 before engulfing the entire structure for more than 10 hours.
Read also: Graft suspect's office destroyed in AGO blaze
Listyo said the perpetrators could be charged with arson under Article 187 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years in prison if the fire damages property alone and 15 years if the fire endangers the lives of others. The culprits, he added, could be charged under Article 188 of the Criminal Code if the fire was caused by negligence.
