Antigraft activist walks free despite conviction

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh

Antigraft activist Farid Faqih reportedly left Jantho Penitentiary on Friday after the prison did not receive notification of his detention being extended.

"The (initial) notification issued by Aceh High Court expired on July 5, and was not extended by the court," said his lawyer, Rufriadi, on Saturday.

Farid was sentenced to one year in prison by Aceh Besar District Court for stealing tsunami aid, but he has appealed the verdict.

However, Aceh High Court said it had extended his detention. "The high court issued notification advising that Farid was to be kept in prison from June 29 to July 28," said Farida Hanoum, the deputy president of the high court.

She said Farid's lawyers filed an appeal with the high court on June 28, and two days later the high court extended Farid's detention.

Farida said she signed the letter of notification herself.

"The letter was sent to Jantho Penitentiary. I can't understand why Farid was released," said Farida.

Farida said the high court was studying Farid's appeal and would appoint a panel of judges to hear the case.

Farid's case surfaced at the end of January, about a month after the Aceh tsunami, which killed some 129,000 people in the province. Farid, the coordinator of Government Watch, was arrested after allegedly loading donated food, medicine and computer equipment onto a truck at a Banda Aceh airport.

The donations were from the military officers' wives association. A military officer, Capt. Suaib, accosted Farid and accused him of stealing the aid. The officer also assaulted the Government Watch coordinator. Farid was arrested and charged with theft. However, he claims that he was moving the donations to a warehouse outside Banda Aceh to prevent them from being damaged by the rain.

Capt. Suaib was sentenced to three months in prison for assaulting Farid.