Seven teenagers jailed for killing student

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court sentenced student Doni Rossiyana to four years in jail yesterday and each of six friends to two years for their involvement in mobbing another student to death.

Doni, 18, received the heaviest sentence because he stabbed Adnan Fauzi, a student at STM 13 technical senior high school in Central Jakarta, in a brawl on Dec. 26 last year and was convicted of illegally possessing the sharp weapon he used.

The other six defendants were identified as Mahesa Chandra Tambunan, 17, Zulachyar, 18, Effendi, 18, Abdi Riva'i, 18, Fadli Ilhami, 18, and Wibowo, 17. The seven were all students at SMU VII senior high school in Kebon Kacang, Central Jakarta.

Presiding judge Subardi said the students, who were charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code, should learn from the experience.

"We hope the sentences can improve their behavior. They are still very young," Subardi said.

In deciding the verdicts, according to Subardi, the court considered that the defendants were still young, had admitted the crime, had shown remorse and did not have criminal records.

But the judge rejected the defendants' lawyers plea that Fauzi's death should be blamed only on Doni. He said the other six students were also guilty of beating the victim.

Prosecutor Lukimanto accepted the sentences while the defendants' lawyers, Tuti Hutagalung and Agustina Hutagalung, said they would consider whether to appeal the decision.

None of the seven students showed any emotion when the verdicts were announced.

Their parents and relatives, in contrast, burst into tears. They accompanied the students to the courthouse's detention cell.

Even in the cell the students did not look sad, chatting to each other and friends outside.

Doni told one of his lawyers that he and his friends had studied cooking during their time on remand in Pondok Bambu in East Jakarta. The students have been detained since Jan. 4.

"The students seemed not that sad because they are together in detention," Agustina said.

She said the students would probably not appeal because they were afraid that the High Court would increase the sentences.

"Their parents apparently accepted the sentences. But we will discuss it later," she said. (jun)