Romo gets seven years in jail

Romo gets seven years in jail

JAKARTA (JP): Arief Kusno Saputo, alias Romo and also known as
"Bung Karno", was sentenced to seven years in jail yesterday by a
court in Malang, East Java, after having been found guilty of
attempting to seed hate and undermine the government.

The decision handed down by the panel of judges headed by
Sartono is lighter than the 10-year sentence demanded by the
prosecution.

Arief was found guilty of violating articles 154 and 156 of
the Criminal Code.

"The accused is found guilty of insulting the president,
publicly inciting adversity and hate against a particular group,"
Sartono said, adding that Arief was also guilty of establishing
an organization with criminal intent.

The defendant's defense counselors, Wiyono and Bintang
Singgih, and the trial's prosecutors immediately appealed the
decision. The court is scheduled to present its decision on the
appeal today.

Arief has allegedly claimed to be a reincarnation of
Indonesia's first president, the late Sukarno, who was popularly
referred to as Bung Karno.

Prosecutors said that Arief established an underground
organization, Division 10, with the aim of seizing back the power
previously "leant" to President Soeharto.

Antara reported that the group was also said to have aims
against ethnic Chinese Indonesians because of their perceived
domination of the country's economy.

Some members of Division 10 have been sentenced to four years
in jail, while members Suntoro, Bambang, Gatot and Sumarno each
have been sentenced to three years. (mds)