Tanah Abang vendors jailed for rioting

JAKARTA (JP): Three sidewalk vendors each received a one-year jail term yesterday for their role in the Tanah Abang market riot in January.

Central Jakarta District Court found Yafrizal, 24, Ade Komarudin, 24, and Ari Yanto, 18, guilty of violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code which states that anyone who jointly and deliberately uses force against another person can be punished with up to five-and-a-half years' imprisonment.

The sentence was six months lighter than what was demanded for by government prosecutor Baskara.

Judge Soebardi said the defendants, all residents of Tanah Abang, deserved the punishment because they caused public unrest. "They also disrupted public service at the Tanah Abang district office," he said.

The office, located near the market, was gutted by a fire in the riot as were some cars. The riot was sparked by a row between vendors, and market officers and security guards.

"Since the defendants admitted their guilt, showed remorse and were still young, the panel of judges decided to give them a lighter sentence," Soebardi said.

The defendants said they would not appeal the decision.

However, after the hearing, their lawyers from the Jakarta Legal Aid Institute said the sentence was too harsh for the crime.

"They should not be held solely responsible for the riot, since there were 300 other rioters," lawyer Rino Subagyo said.

The defendants said they feared that if they appealed, the High Court might give them an even stiffer sentence.

Prior to the verdict, only one other person, a minor, was convicted for the Tanah Abang riot. A 16-year-old boy was tried in a closed hearing and received eight months' imprisonment.

In a separate trial yesterday, four other vendors admitted in Central Jakarta District Court of their part in the riot.

Hadi Subarno, 39, Erri Suanto, 28, Daniel H. Tanjung, 22 and Willem Morgan, 17, acknowledged that they threw stones, bricks and pieces of wood at the district office and some cars.

The four were also charged with violating Article 170.

Willem was accused of another offense -- arson -- which is punishable with up to 12 years' imprisonment.

Willem denied involvement in the arson, saying that he simply threw lit matches at the already burning building and cars.

When asked by judge Sartono why he did that, Willem said, "So the flames could get bigger."

The trial also heard the testimony of Sergeant Winarto of Tanah Abang Police precinct, who said he saw all the defendants taking part in the riot.

Winarto said he arrested Subarno and Suanto after the riot.

The two defendants however refuted this, saying that they were arrested by another officer they identified as Asep two days later. (12/04)