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