Eight months sought for soldier

YOGYAKARTA: Military prosecutor Capt. Agus Hari Suprapto demanded on Wednesday that the Yogyakarta Military Tribunal sentence police First Brig. Hendro Purnomo to eight months in jail for shooting a student when attempting to disperse a student brawl last year.

In his indictment Agus told the trial, presided by Col. Anas Chaniago that police Mobile Brigade member Purnomo was guilty of negligence in performing his duties.

"An eight-month jail term, minus the period of his arrest, is reasonable punishment for him," prosecutor Agus said, adding that the defendant had violated Article 360 of the Criminal Code on causing bodily harm due to negligence.

The defendant had been in military police custody for seven months and 15 days.

Hendro was one of the police officers deployed to quell a school brawl on Sept. 27. Hendro allegedly opened fire to disperse students from Yogyakarta's Muhammadiyah I senior high school.

One of the students was shot in the waist, the prosecutor said.

"Kahfi Hasran survived after a rubber bullet was taken out of his body. The rubber bullet was confirmed as coming from Hendro's rifle."

The trial was adjourned until next month when judges will read the verdict.(44)