Court to decide on Bere's trial Tuesday

JAKARTA: The Central Jakarta District Court will decide next Tuesday whether to continue or suspend the trial against militiaman Yacobus Bere, who is charged with the murder of a New Zealand peacekeeper in East Timor last year.

The pro-Indonesia East Timorese Bere is accused of murdering Pvt. Leonard William Manning, 24, on 24 July 2000 in Suai when the victim was serving with the United Nations peacekeeping force in East Timor.

The defendant was charged with violating Article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder, which carries a maximum penalty of death.

In the development of the case, Prosecutor Muhammad Syafei told reporters that four other militiamen had arrived here earlier this month and would soon be tried on the same charge at the same court.

Currently, they are being detained at Salemba Penitentiary in Central Jakarta. --JP