Catch Fish Using Explosives, Police Threaten 3 Fishermen In NTT Death Penalty

Three suspects in the bombing of fish arrested by police officers in Rote Ndao (ANTARA)

The investigative team from the Directorate of Water and Air Police (Ditpolairud) of the NTT Police assessed that three fishermen from Rote Ndao Regency who caught fish using explosives were threatened with the death penalty or 20 years in prison.

Director of Polairud Polda NTT Kombes Pol Irwan Defi Nasution said the three fishermen with the initials EHT, YAD and SYD had been named suspects on Tuesday, January 23.

"They have been named as suspects in the case of fishing using explosives," said Irwan as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, January 25.

He explained that the three were named suspects and threatened with the death penalty after being charged with Article 1 paragraph 1 of the Emergency Law (UU) number 12 of 1951 concerning Firearms and Explosives, in conjunction with Article 53 and Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code.

Not only are they threatened with the death penalty, but the three of them are also threatened with a maximum imprisonment of 20 years as a result of their actions.

"With the threat of the death penalty and a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in prison," he said.

He said that when he was arrested on Tuesday (23/1), the three were carrying out their actions in the waters of Tanjung Oepao, in Rote Ndao Regency.

Irwan added that when he was arrested, several pieces of evidence were also secured, such as a motorbike and fertilizer in a jerry can used as material to make explosives.

Irwan added that he did not mess with criminals who catch fish with non-environmental goods such as explosives or potassium or fish poison.

Therefore, he appealed to fishermen or the people of NTT in general to fish using environmentally friendly fishing gear so as not to damage coral reefs or others.

His party will continue to disseminate information to the public regarding the explosives used to catch fish.