Policemen's attackers jailed

Policemen's attackers jailed

JAKARTA (JP): The South Jakarta District Court has sentenced two thugs to five years imprisonment each for attacking police officers.

Presiding judge I Gusti Ngurah Somya said at Monday's trial that Reza Lawalata and Idris Tuarita were proven guilty of attacking Capt. Arman Depari and Lt. Budi Santosa in the Blok M shopping area on March 6.

Lt. Budi Santosa was killed in the attack. One of Budi's alleged killers, Mario Lesbanu, was shot dead resisting arrest, while another, Franky Jufrimaudu, died from an illness while in police custody.

"The defendants violated article 170 of the Criminal Code," the judge said, adding that their crime sparked public unrest.

Prosecutor Tobina Siahaan had previously demanded that the court jail the defendants to 10 years each for the offense.

According to the indictment, the defendants, together with seven other hoodlums, identified as Amirzan Liskaloho, Zulkifli Nahumaruri, Franky Jufrimaudu, Mario Lesbanu, Stevanus van Capele, Robinson Timisela and Jimiki Danyanto, attacked the plain-clothed officers while they were parking their car at a Blok M shopping complex.

Budi was tortured by members of the gang before being stabbed in the stomach. Arman escaped the attack. Police believe that it was Mario and Franky who killed Budi.

Two other gang members, Amirzan and Idris, had been earlier sentenced by the same court to four years and three years and 10 months in jail respectively on similar charges.

The killing of Budi has sparked a massive operation against hoodlums in the city and other areas.

More than 14,000 suspected hoodlums have been netted during the operation.(29)