Mandalay chief minister charged with negligence over house fire
By Si Thu Lwin | Thursday, 24 April 2014Negligence is a charge often levelled at politicians and government officials – but not normally by police.
Mandalay Region Chief Minister U Ye Myint speakers at an award ceremony in August 2013. (Photo: Si Thu Lwin)
Mandalay Region's chief minister, however, is facing up to three years in prison following a recent fire at his house in Aung Myay Thar San township. As head of the household, police had little choice but to charge him with negligence under section 285 of the Penal Code as a result of the fire, which was started by an overheated surge protector.
He was charged by a police major from Aung Myay Thar San on April 22. The fire started on the upper floor of this house on 65th Street, between 23rd and 24th street near the region hluttaw, at about 8pm on April 19 and caused K1.1 million damage before it was extinguished, police said.
He was charged following an investigation that included a minister of the regional government.
"The police are required to charge the head of a household [with negligence] if there is a house fire so according to our procedures we had no choice but to charge the chief minister," said a police officer familiar with the case, who asked not to be named.
"The fire broke out because a safeguard, which was used for an air conditioner, overheated," a spokesperson for the Fire Services Department said.
Those convicted under section 285, which relates to negligence with respect to a fire or combustible matter, face up to three years in prison, a fine or both.
One Mandalay lawyer said the sentence was hard to predict but there is plenty of opportunity for a judge to use their discretion.
"The penalty [for negligence] is not related to the amount of damage [caused by a fire]. It is dependent on the judge's decision," said the lawyer, who also asked not to be named.
The case highlights some of the changes that have occurred in Myanmar since reforms were initiated by President U Thein Sein. About five years ago, a fire broke out in similar circumstances in the home of a senior military official in the Mandalay Palace compound.
All news of the fire was suppressed and it remains unclear whether charges were ever laid against the military officer. – Translation by Thiri Min Htun
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/04/25/mandalay-chief-minister-charged-with-negligence-over-house-fire/
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