Prosecutors seeks 7 years for student killer

Prosecutors seeks 7 years for student killer

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: Prosecutors in Aceh demanded a seven-year jail sentence for the alleged killer of Muhammad Iqbal, a student at the University of Syiah Kuala, who was shot last year in a motorcycle chase following a traffic accident.

State prosecutor Kamaruzzaman said on Monday that the defendant Aspardi, who confessed to the shooting, deliberately shot Iqbal after he chased the student on his motorcycle in the city of Banda Aceh on July 2002.

The incident began when Iqbal's motorcycle accidentally bumped into and knocked over Aspardi's motorcycle. Iqbal did not stop, and Aspardi went after Iqbal.

During the chase, Aspardi fired warning shoots, which Iqbal ignored. After Aspardi drew closer, he shot Iqbal in the head.

"The defendant has taken the life of one of our nation's future. For this he should be sentenced to seven years in jail," said Kamaruzzaman in his indictment during the first court hearing on the case. -- JP