Gunawan sentenced to death<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The North Jakarta District Court sentenced on Thursday defendant
\nGunawan Santosa to death for masterminding the murder of PT Arena
\nSarana Bakti (Asaba) president director Boedyharto Angsono and
\nhis Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) bodyguard Second Sgt. Edi
\nSiyep on July 20, 2003.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge I Wayan Padang Pudjawan read out the verdict
\nthat Gunawan was found guilty of violating Article 340 of the
\nCriminal Code on premeditated murder, by instructing four low-
\nranking marines to shoot his ex-father-in-law Boedyharto and Edi
\nat the Sasana Krida sports hall in Penjaringan, North Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Judge Wayan explained that testimonies from the four marines
\n-- Suud Rusli, Syam Ahmad Sanusi, Fidel Husni and Santoso
\nSubianto -- revealed that the defendant had previously met with
\nthem on the night of July 16, 2003. In the meeting, Gunawan told
\nthem he wanted to avenge Boedyharto for making his life
\nmiserable. He then asked Suud to kill Boedyharto for him and
\nhelped survey the sports hall prior to the shooting.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant and his four accomplices were aware of, and had
\ntime to think over and cancel their plan, but they did not,\"
\nWayan said. \"It shows the defendant deliberately planned the
\nmurder.\"<\/p>\n
The judges also found Gunawan guilty of violating Article 55
\nof the Criminal Code for persuading others to commit a crime, by
\npromising beforehand, and paying the marines Rp 4 million
\n(US$425) in total after the shooting.<\/p>\n
Wayan said the court took into consideration that the
\ndefendant did not admit his crime and had broken the law several
\ntimes.<\/p>\n
\"The defendant is also a fugitive and attempted to escape
\nduring the trial, and is involved in other cases, including the
\nattempted murder of Asaba finance director Paulus Tejakusuma and
\nthe illegal possession of firearms,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Gunawan had escaped from Kuningan Penitentiary in Cirebon,
\nWest Java, where he was serving time for embezzlement. In March,
\nhe attempted to escape while being transported from the Salemba
\nPenitentiary to his trial at the district court.<\/p>\n
The judges found no mitigating factors in Gunawan's favor.<\/p>\n
\"The court finds the defendant guilty of all charges against
\nhim, and sentences him to death,\" Wayan said, to the gasps and
\nmurmurs of the audience at the court.<\/p>\n
Gunawan showed no particular emotion upon hearing the verdict,
\nand simply said he would file an appeal.<\/p>\n
Gunawan's lawyer, Alamsyah Hanafiah, said after the trial that
\nhis client would appeal because the court had refused his request
\nto hold a joint trial with the military for the case, and refused
\nto take into consideration the fact that the four marines had
\nretracted their previous statements for the case file.<\/p>\n
The four marines had been court martialled for the murder and
\ndischarged from their corps.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Andi Herman said he was satisfied and would accept
\nthe verdict.<\/p>\n
Gunawan was immediately escorted by police and court security
\nofficers to a paddy wagon after the trial. Trying to smile, he
\ndeclined to comment on the verdict and merely said: \"One's life
\nand death is in the hands of God.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gunawan-sentenced-to-death-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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