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)