Soldier faces five years in jail

Soldier faces five years in jail

AMBON, Maluku: Army Chief Pvt. Hanafi from the Pattimura Regional Military Command is facing five years in prison and dismissal from active military service for allegedly being involved in a bombing incident.

At a hearing before the Ambon Military Tribunal on Tuesday, Hanafi was charged with assisting a civilian defendant, Aras Pantotoreng, to install a five-kilogram explosive device at the eastern main entrance of the Maluku governor's office in November 2001.

In a previous hearing, Aras admitted that Hanafi was keeping watch while he entered the Batumerah area in order to reach the governor's office before security forces caught them.

The trial was adjourned to Thursday, when Hanafi's lawyer was scheduled to make a statement in their defense against the charges.--JP