Six months probation in beating case

BANDUNG: A Bandung court jailed a part-time hospital worker for three months on Tuesday for assaulting TV7 reporter Fredi Bangun.

Daddy Samuel Carol, a casual employee at the Hasan Sadikin Hospital, was sentenced to three months' jail and six months' probation for assaulting Fredi while he was reporting from the hospital on July 19 last year with about 20 other journalists.

According to a witness, Iwan Gumelar of Metro TV, the defendant insisted on the journalists providing written permission to film in the hospital and became angry when a cameraman began to film him.

Chief justice Herman Hutapea said that based on witness testimony and two VCD recordings of the case, Daddy was guilty of assault.

"If he did not like being filmed, he could have covered the lens instead of hitting and injuring the reporter," Herman said.

Daddy's lawyer, Deni Rohman, said Daddy was considering appealing the verdict. "I'm sure my client is innocent," he said.

Fredi said he was satisfied with the court's decision. -- JP