Poso killers' appeal denied, death penalty still stands

Badri Djawara, The Jakarta Post, Palu

The Supreme Court has rejected the appeals submitted by three men who were sentenced to death for committing a series of murders between May and June of 2000 in the strife-torn regency of Poso, Central Sulawesi.

The deputy chief of the Palu District Court, Mashudi, told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday that the Supreme Court decision to reject the appeals of the three convicts was delivered to both the Central Sulawesi Appellate Court and the district court on Nov. 19, 2001.

"Yes, we received the Supreme court's ruling. We have not yet announced it to the public because the complete files for the appeals have not reached us," he said.

Fabianus Tibo, 55, Marianus Riwu, 43, and Dominggus da Silva, 37, had appealed to the Supreme Court after the Appellate Court upheld the Poso District Court decision to sentence the trio to death on April 5, 2001, after being convicted in the killings.

Despite the Supreme Court decision the men can still opt for a presidential pardon as a last-ditch effort to escape execution.

The three will be facing a firing squad for the execution should they fail to be granted a pardon from the head of state.

Public Prosecutor Iskandar Sukirman, who prosecuted the case in the district court, applauded the Supreme Court ruling but said he did not know when the men would be executed.

"The execution day will be set by the prosecutor's office after having a consultation with the district court," he said, reiterating that the three have the right to request a pardon from the president.