If found guilty, Ngada District Head Marianus Sae will be sentenced to anything up to 2.8 years in jail.Kupang, E Nusa Tenggara (ANTARA News) - Police have named the Ngada District Head Marianus Sae as suspect in the blocking of Turelelo airport in the district on December 21.
"He was named as suspect after a team of investigators from the district, provincial and national police questioned 15 public order agency (Satpol PP) officers last week," stated Head of the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Police Brig. Gen. Untung Yoga, here on Monday.
Based on the questioning, the police suspected the Ngada district head of violating Article 421 of the 2009 Aviation Law by ordering other people to commit a criminal offense, he noted.
If found guilty, Marianus will be sentenced to anything up to 2.8 years in jail.
"The police will still interrogate a number of parties including the Turelelo airport authorities and the management of Merpati Nusantara Airlines as witnesses in the case," he added.
On December 21, Marianus allegedly instructed public order officers in the district to block the airports runway with their cars after he was denied a seat on a fully-booked Merpati flight from El Tari Airport in Kupang, capital of East Nusa Tenggara province to Turelelo Airpot.
As a result, the Merpati plane carrying 54 passengers could not land at the Turelelo Airport and hence, returned to El Tari Airport.
The police have named 15 public order officers suspects in the case.
Untung stated that the Ngada district head will be questioned at the provincial police station early next year.
"We will question him at the provincial police station. It is unlikely for the Ngada district police to question him," he added.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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