Foreign fishermen found not guilty

MAUMERE, East Nusa Tenggara: The East Flores district court acquitted four Taiwanese fishermen on Tuesday who had been charged with illegal fishing.

The four fishermen, identified as Huang Tien Siu, Chen Tien Sung, Chen Pin An, and Huan Tien Ming, were arrested in the waters off Lembata island a couple of months ago, the Navy commander in Maumere and Flores, Lt. Col. Gunung Untung, said.

Presiding Judge Agustinus Radja Bire said at a hearing last week that "there is neither sufficient nor incriminating evidence of illegal fishing in Indonesian waters."

The evidence in the case, consisting of four motor vessels and fishing equipment, will be returned to PT Agrindo Bahari, which owned all of the equipment used by the fishermen. (yac/edt)