14 soldiers jailed for murder

Agus Maryono, The Jakarta Post, Purwokerto

The Purworkerto military court in Central Java sentenced 14 soldiers to between four months and a year in prison on Wednesday for attacking two suspected criminals, leaving one of them dead.

The punishment was more severe than the sentences of between three and 10 months initially sought by military prosecutor Maj. Fauzi during the two-day trial.

Lt. Col. Rizal Tholib, who presided over the trial, said he based his sentence on evidence that the defendants were guilty of deliberately committing the deadly crime.

The 14 convicted troops were members of the Army's Yonif 405 battalion based in Wangon, Purwokerto.

The soldiers were arrested after beating two suspected thieves, Memet, 20, and Roni, 19 -- both residents from the nearby town of Cilacap -- in July 2001.

Memet died from his wounds after he was taken to a local hospital the day after the attack. Although he sustained serious injuries as well, Roni survived the attack.

Both victims were accused of stealing a motorcycle belonging to one of the defendants, Chief Pvt. Sunarto.

Incensed by the theft Sunarto, along with other defendants, took the men to a military compound in Cilacap, where the attack took place.

First Lt. Surya Subagya, spokesman for Purwokerto's Wijaya Kusuma Military Command, told reporters after the sentencing that all people -- including military officers -- are viewed as equal before the law.