Editor jailed for 6 months over falsified report

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)