Ical gets his jail sentence reduced

MEDAN, North Sumatra: M. Fahrial alias Ical, a former student of GB Yosua Senior High School in Medan, who was convicted of killing his father, mother, brother and sisters, will have his prison sentence reduced by two months due to remissions connected with the Idul Fitri holiday.

"The prison term reduction will be officiated during the Idul Fitri celebration on Nov. 25," said Lukas Tarigan, an official at the provincial Justice and Human Rights Office.

Ical was handed down a 10-year prison sentence after separately murdering his mother, D. Siregar, his father, Arsyaad Batu Bara, his brother, Gen Haled and his sisters, Vini Tinti and Vini Quita, in October 1997. Ical, who is now 23 years old, used a hammer to carry out the murders.

He said that he had murdered his family as they had prevented him from marrying his girlfriend Poppy.

Ical had begun serving his prison term in 1999.

Convicts who have served prison sentences for more than six months and who are not sentenced to life imprisonment or death are eligible for remission.

Remissions are usually given in relation to religious festivities or the Indonesian Independence Day, for convicts who have shown good conduct. -- Antara