Editor jailed for 6 months over falsified report

JAKARTA (JP): South Jakarta District Court on Monday sentenced managing editor of biweekly Warta Republik tabloid, Hoessein Madilis, to six months in jail for publishing a falsified report of an alleged triple sex scandal, involving former vice president Try Sutrisno, former minister of defense and security Edi Sudradjat and a widow, identified as Nani.

"The defendant has failed to provide strong evidence that former vice president Try Sutrisno and former minister of defense and security Edi Sudradjat have been involved in a fight for a woman.

"The defendant has defamed both Try and Edi," presiding Judge Samsuddin said, while reading the verdict.

He said the defendant had violated article 310 of the criminal code, which carries a maximum four-year jail sentence.

"This is the defendant's first case and he's been acting cooperatively during the trials," Samsuddin said, providing grounds for reducing the jail term from an eight-month sentence earlier sought by prosecutor Hasan Mahdani.

Upon hearing the verdict, the convict, who has not been accompanied by a lawyer since the beginning of the trial last month, said he would consider filing an appeal to the Jakarta High Court.

The judge gave one week for the defendant to lodge an appeal with the courts.

The tabloid ran the story on the alleged scandal, titled Cinta Segitiga Dua Jenderal (Triple Love Story of Two Generals), in its November 1998 edition. Both Try and Edi are retired four-star Army generals. (asa)