Death sentence against Lt. Sanurip upheld

Death sentence against Lt. Sanurip upheld

JAKARTA (JP): The Surabaya High Military Tribunal in East Java
has upheld a death sentence against an Army Special Forces
officer convicted of killing 16 people in a shooting spree in
Timika, Irian Jaya, last year.

The spokesman for Trikora Regional Military Command, Col.
Mangatas Pandjaitan, said the tribunal upheld the sentence
against Second Lt. Sanurip on June 18.

Antara reported that Sanurip's defense lawyers would appeal to
the Supreme Court.

Sanurip was sentenced to death by the Jayapura Military
Tribunal on April 23. He was found guilty of killing 16 people
and injuring 10 others in a shooting spree at Timika Airport last
year.

The incident took place on the morning of April 15 last year
after Sanurip became involved in a dispute with a fellow officer.
Sanurip reportedly grabbed a machine gun and sprayed soldiers and
civilian workers with bullets.

Sanurip was also given a dishonorable discharge with all
previous citations awarded to him removed.

During the trial, Sanurip's lawyers claimed that the defendant
suffered from severe stress after spending months in the Irian
Jaya jungle.

Reports said Sanurip was infected with malaria. (05)