Six soldiers stand trial over arms raid in Wamena

Nethy Dharma Somba, The Jakarta Post, Jayapura, Papua

A military tribunal formally charged on Monday six of nine soldiers in connection with the April burglary of munitions from the Wamena military arsenal, in which three people, including two soldiers, were killed.

At least 13 M-16 rifles, 13 SP-1 rifles and three PM rifles, along with thousands of rounds of ammunition, were stolen after a group of people initially believed to be Papuan rebels broke into the Wamena Army arsenal at 2 a.m. on April 4. Most of the stolen arms were recovered several days after the incident.

The six defendants are being tried at the Jayapura military court, Papua.

One of the soldiers, First Lt. Pilius Wenda, is charged with aiding and abetting in the theft by providing arms or weapons to armed separatist group Free Papua Movement (OPM), which was blamed for the crime.

Military prosecutor Lt. Col. Sucahyo said Pilius, 38, who served as the Kurima subdistrict military chief, had violated Law No. 12/1951, Article 148 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum death penalty.

The five other defendants are: Sgt. Maj. Karel Itlay, 46, First Sgt. Philemon Pameka, 43, Chief Cpt. Paus Kogoya, 40, Chief Pvt. Eduardus Kiwirok, 27, and Chief Corp. M. Irfan Djuhari, 38.

Irfan was charged with negligence for failing to carry out his duty as a guard assigned to the arsenal, and could face four years in prison.

Although he was supposed to be on duty guarding the arsenal, he had gone home, Sucahyo told the tribunal presided over by Lt. Col. AR Tambubolon, flanked by Maj. Sutrisno Setio Utomo and Maj. Mayor Tatang Masifit.

The four other defendants were also charged with negligence and failing to carry out their orders, as they were unable to prevent the burglary, even though they were also on guard duty.

Three other soldiers -- Yaurima Mabel, Itong Kogoya and Serianus Jikwa -- are to stand trial at an upcoming hearing.

Monday's trial, held at the hall of Papua's Trikora Military Headquarters, was attended by families and relatives of the defendants.

"The change of the venue from the military court building to the hall is to give a bigger space for people to witness the trial," Trikora Military Commander Maj. Gen. Nurdin Zainal said.

Meanwhile, six of eight civilians were also charged on Monday at the Wamena District Court for their alleged role in the theft.

Two Army soldiers -- First Lt. A. Napitupulu and First Sgt. Ruben Lena -- and one civilian, suspected of being a rebel, Islae Murib, were killed in the ensuing shootout.

Indonesian Military (TNI) spokesman Maj. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin said the electricity was cut during the theft, while the soldiers assigned to guard the arsenal were absent from its proximity area when the incident took place.

The burglary was spotted by patrolling soldiers, who just happened to be passing the location, Sjafrie added.

Following the incident, TNI Headquarters sent 144 combat soldiers from the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) to Papua to hunt down those responsible.

A month earlier, the Kopassus task force in the provincial capital of Jayapura was dissolved following mounting criticism over its involvement in the killing of former Papuan independence leader Theys Hiyo Eluay in 2001.