Policeman jailed for torture

BANDUNG: A military court here Wednesday sentenced First Lt. Daniel Tifaona, 28, to nine months and 10 days in prison for the fatal torture of a robbery suspect.

Tjetje Tadjudin, 42, had been named both a witness and a suspect in the armed robbery in which one person was shot dead at Jagorawi toll in Bogor in October last year.

Prosecutors had sought a jail term of 17 months for Tifaona, Antara reported.

During the three-hour court deliberations, which was attended by Tifaona's family, Tifaona admitted to electrocuting Tjetje five times and hitting him in the head and body with his hands and a rubber stick.

Chief of the team of judges, Col. A. Pakpahan, said Tjetje suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, head injuries and bruises on his body, making him vomit and lose his memory.

Tifaona did not bring Tjetje to the hospital but sent him back to his cell, he added.

Tjetje died at the PMI hospital in Bogor on Oct. 20 after suffering from a high fever and breathing difficulties, he said.