Jakarta – Up to 218 cases related to forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan are currently being investigated by police.
"Four of the cases are being investigated by the National Police's Criminal Investigation Corps [Bareskrim Polri] while others are in the hands of provincial police [Polda] and precinct police [Polres]. There are 34 cases in South Sumatra, 68 cases in Riau, 18 cases in Jambi, 57 cases in Central Kalimantan, 25 cases in West Kalimantan, 8 cases in South Kalimantan and 4 cases in East Kalimantan," said Polri spokesperson Suharsono on Tuesday as quoted by kompas.com.
Nineteen of the cases are currently at pre-investigation stage, 136 cases mid-investigation and 63 cases have been handed over to prosecutors. "We have named 204 suspects across all the cases, consisting of 192 individuals and 9 corporations," said Suharsono.
He added that 68 of the individual suspects and five of the corporation suspects had been arrested since they were considered prone to tampering with evidence or going into hiding. "It is very possible that the number of cases and suspects will increase in the future," said Suharsono. (kes)