Killer gets eight months in Palu

PALU, Central Sulawesi: Sofyan Djumpai, alias Phian, 24, was convicted on Tuesday of involvement in last year's murder of prosecutor Ferry Silalahi in Palu, Central Sulawesi, and sentenced to eight months in prison.

Prosecutors had asked the Palu District Court to jail the defendant for 10 years for his involvement in the murder of the prosecutor.

A panel of judges led by Mohammad Taufik said prosecutors had failed to prove the defendant was involved in planning or carrying out the actual murder.

Sofyan, a resident of Poso, was only guilty of the possession of the gun used to murder Ferry on May 26, 2004, the judges said.

The convict was arrested last October at a house in Tojo- Unauna regency, after a months-long police hunt for Ferry's killers. --Antara