Defendant outraged over verdict

JAKARTA (JP): A man convicted for assisting in the murder of a businessman in North Jakarta flew into a rage yesterday when the judge handed down a nine-year prison sentence for the crime.

Tjen Piu, also known as Opiu, stood up from his chair and smashed it on the floor after hearing the verdict, and shouted "injustice" to the North Jakarta court, presided over by Suwardi.

The sentence is two years longer than the prosecutor demanded.

The defendant was then taken out of the court by security officers to prevent further commotion, Antara reported.

According to the judges Opiu was guilty of escorting Atok and Agiono, who got 20 and 15 years respectively for killing the Nyo Beng Seng, to the businessman's mansion in Pluit, North Jakarta.

Beng Seng, or Darmansyah Sujadi, was the boss of a recording company, PT Irama Tara. He also controlled massage parlors and several nightclubs in Jakarta.

The defendant's lawyers Ruhut Sitompul and Tommy Sihotang said they were dissatisfied with the verdict.

"We want to go to the high court or even to the Supreme Court to get justice for our client," Sitompul said. (sur)