inp.polri.go.id - North Sulawesi. The Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police's Forest and Land Fire Law Enforcement Task Force, along with the East Kolaka Sub-regional Police's Forest and Land Fire Task Force, have named a suspect in an alleged land burning case in a limited production forest area in Wesalo Village, Lalolae District, East Kolaka Regency.

The suspect, identified as AN, was named after investigators conducted an investigation, questioned witnesses, analyzed video footage, and conducted a case review based on a police report. 

The Director of Special Criminal Investigation at the Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police, Senior Superintendent Wisnu Wibowo, stated that investigators obtained statements from two witnesses who witnessed a man setting fire at the scene.

During the questioning, AN also admitted to setting the bamboo on fire using a lighter, causing the fire to spread and ignite the surrounding grass.

"The suspect set the fire on his own initiative," he said.

Investigators also questioned Abdul Aman Ega, Head of the PTTD KPH Unit II Ladongi, who stated that the fire area covered approximately 80 hectares and was included in the limited production forest area.

Based on the results of the case presentation, investigators escalated the case to the suspect determination stage, applying the provisions of Law Number 41 of 1999 concerning Forestry, as amended by the Job Creation Law.

The Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police's Forest and Land Fire Task Force then coordinated with the Public Prosecutor and experts from the Southeast Sulawesi Provincial Forestry Service to complete the investigation.

In the field, the Southeast Sulawesi Regional Police's Forest and Land Fire Task Force, along with its staff, continued to extinguish and cool down affected areas to prevent the fires from reigniting and spreading to other areas.

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