Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.The panel of judges at the Kraksaan District Court in Probolinggo, East Java, has sentenced Andrie Wibowo Eka Waedhana (41), a photographer, to two years and six months in prison and fine of Rp 3.5 billion for causing the Teletubbies hill forest fire at Mount Bromo,
"We have issued the verdict," Chief Judge I Made Yuliana confirmed on Thursday (1/2/2024).
The judge's decision during a hearing on Wednesday was more lenient than the demand from the public prosecutor, which sought three years in prison and a fine of IDR 3 billion, antaranews.com reported.
Made Deady Permana Putra, the Head of Intelligence at the Probolinggo Prosecutor’s Office, said that his team respected the decision but will discuss whether to appeal or accept it.
Meanwhile, the defendant's legal representative, Hasmoko, said that they considered the decision very heavy, although the judge's verdict was lighter than the prosecutor's demand.
"Our client had no intention at all to set fire to the Teletubbies hill, but we respect the decision," he said.
The convict was the photographer and organizer of a pre-wedding photoshoot on 6 September 2023. He instructed the use of five flares, one of which exploded and sparked a fire that spread to Mount Bromo’s over 50 hectares of savanna.
(ar/inp/pr/nm)
