Reporter's attackers sentenced

Reporter's attackers sentenced

DILI (JP): The district court here sentenced four people to 10
months each yesterday for attacking a journalist last year.

The defendants, Jose Antonio Soares, Jaime de Jesus Ribeiro
Verdial, Americo Seroa and Jacob Fernandez, asked for time to
decide whether they would appeal, as did public prosecutor Eko
Purwanto.

The sentence was lighter than the prosecutor had demanded. Eko
had sought three years for Jose, and two years for Jaime and
Jacob for assaulting the Tiras weekly journalist, Gaudensius Mau.

Presiding judge S.J. Maramis said in his verdict that the
three men deserved lighter sentences on the grounds that they had
pleaded guilty and apologized to the victim. Besides, he said:
"They are still young and have plenty of time to improve their
behavior."

The incident happened on the night of Nov. 17 last year when
the three assaulted Gaudensius after mistaking him for a police
informant.

The culprits rounded on Gaudensius near Virgin Mary park after
they saw someone point at him and shout "informant", the verdict
said.

They stopped beating the innocent journalist when a police
patrol passed. The unconscious victim was taken to hospital by
the police while the attackers fled.

Gaudensius regained consciousness in hospital a day after the
attack, the verdict said. (33/pan)