Police officer jailed for adultery
Police officer jailed for adultery
JAKARTA (JP): A military tribunal sentenced yesterday two
policemen to six months and seven months in jail, for adultery
and dealing in stolen vehicles.
A panel of three judges, led by Army Col. Imron Anwari, said
in their verdict that the defendants, Chief Corporal M. Idrus
Mali, 45, and Second Sergeant Sohandi, 26, acted against their
oath, and have tarnished the image of the Indonesian Armed
Forces.
But they were assured that they would retain their job after
having completed their jail terms.
Idrus was found guilty of buying and selling two cars, with
incomplete documents, in 1992. He admitted that he earned about
Rp 1 million (US$447) from the illegal transactions.
"I had to do it because I needed more money to support my
family," Idrus, a father of six children, told the court.
The monthly wage for a policeman of his rank is about Rp
100,000.
Sohandi was found guilty of having sexual relations with his
married landlady twice, in Serang, West Java, in 1992 and 1993.
The judges said that Sohandi and his landlady had sexual
relations in the tourist resort of Carita Beach and the backyard
of her husband's house.
They said the defendant deserved a more lenient sentence than
the seven months demanded by the prosecutors because the landlady
was a consenting partner.
Earlier, prosecutor Maj. Aries had sought seven months
imprisonment for Idrus and Sohandi both. The defendants asked the
court for time to decide if they would or would not appeal.
According to the prevailing laws, defendants are considered to
accept the verdict if they fail to report on their decision seven
days after the day of sentencing.
Yesterday's trial at City Police Headquarters was the first
round of trials for a total of 15 policemen, from Jakarta and
West Java, for various law violations.
The trials, held regularly by Jakarta Military Court II-08
once every three-month, will last until Thursday.
The military tribunal will sentence today Chief Sergeant Dwi
Marhanendi Mujianto, 33, from the Tanjung Priok police; Second
Private Ismet Nur Kampai, 26, from National Police Headquarters;
First Sergeant Abu Hanifah, 35, from the East Jakarta police;
First Private Didin Saefudin, 32, from the Cilegon police in West
Java; Second Sergeant Joni, 29, from City Police Headquarters;
and Second Sergeant Agus Samtani, 48, from the Serang police in
West Java.
Policemen to stand trial tomorrow are Second Sergeant
Sudarmanto, 26, from City Police Headquarters; Second Sergeant
Suyud Pramino, 27, also from City Police Headquarters; Second
Sergeant Supriadin, 31, from the Lebak police in West Java; and
Second Lieutenant Sudaryanto, 40, from National Police
Headquarters.
On Thursday, the judges will try First Sergeant Juna Sapdian,
49, from the Cilegon police; First Sergeant R. Danu Sugito, 36,
of the West Jakarta police; and Second Corporal Maman Hermansyah,
31, of City Police Headquarters.
They are suspected of being involved in various criminal acts,
including theft, document forgery, taking another wife, acts of
violence, corruption and fencing.
Only a few of the suspects are being defended by lawyers. "It
would be of no use to be defended by a lawyer because in the
military, we just follow orders and obey anything we are told to
do by our senior," an officer said.(bsr)