Tommy's alleged hit men get life

Muninggar Sri Saraswati and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Central Jakarta District Court handed down life sentences to two hitmen allegedly hired by Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra on Wednesday for the assassination of Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita on July 26, 2001.

Defendants Noval Hadad, 26, and R. Maulawarman, alias Molla, 39, were found guilty of violating Article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder and Emergency Law No 12/1951 on illegal possession of firearms and ammunition.

Both articles carry a maximum penalty of death.

Another trial of another of Tommy's alleged accomplices at the South Jakarta District Court saw the judges sentence Dody Hardjito to four-years jail, slightly lighter than the prosecutors' demand of six years, for assisting in the murder plan.

According to paragraph 1 Article 57 of the Criminal Code, Dody's crime carries a maximum penalty of 15-years imprisonment.

Noval, Molla and Dody were tried in separate trials because the first two defendants committed the murder at Kemayoran, which is under the Central Jakarta District Court jurisdiction, while Dody committed the crime in the area under the jurisdiction of the South Jakarta District Court.

The Central Jakarta District Court panel of judges -- comprising of Amiruddin Zakaria, Andi Samsan Nganro and I Ketut Gede -- considered there were no mitigating factors in the case.

"Some factors supporting the verdict were that the defendants caused a Supreme Court Judge, who had served as the Supreme Court deputy chief of general crime, to die in a tragic way, causing grief to his family," said presiding judge Amiruddin.

Chief prosecutor Abdul Kamar Badrun had earlier demanded that the court sentence the defendants to 14 years in prison.

"The recommendation is not equal with the crime as it had disturbed the law enforcement and judiciary domains here," Amiruddin asserted.

"We also consider that a sentence must act as a deterrent for other society members."

It rarely happens a panel of judges sentences a defendant to a term higher than the prosecution demands.

Both Noval and Molla looked calm during the hearing.

Molla refused to comment on the verdict but Noval insisted that it was unfair. They immediately said they would appeal.

At the South Jakarta District Court, Presiding Judge Tusani Djafri said: "The defendant (Dody) is proven guilty of supporting the premeditated murder of the Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita."

Dody was disappointed with the verdict and would appeal.

Chief prosecutor Ismanto would also appeal as he was dissatisfied with the verdict, which according to him was too light.

The verdict said that in mid July last year, Molla, who was introduced to Tommy by Dody, and Noval surveyed Syafiuddin's home in Sunter, North Jakarta.

They went to Patra Jasa hotel on Jl. Jend. Achmad Yani, North Jakarta, on July 25, 2001, using Dody's sedan. They spent a night at the hotel prior to the shooting the next morning.

On July 26, using a Yamaha RX King motorcycle -- Tommy ordered Molla to buy the motorcycle after a recommendation by Dody -- both defendants went to Syafiuddin's home on Jl. Lantana, Sunter.

They tailed Syafiuddin, who was driving a car to his office. On nearby Jl. Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Noval, who sat in the back seat, shot Syafiuddin once, causing the car to hit a stall. Noval then approached the car and shot Syafiuddin three more times.

After the murder, Molla paid Noval Rp 50 million (US$5,385). He later met Dody at the house of businessman Dion Hardy, another of Tommy's friends, in Kemang, South Jakarta. They both then visited Tommy at a rented house on Jl. Alam Segar, Pondok Indah, South Jakarta, reporting that the murder was accomplished. The house was rented by Dody as a hideout for Tommy when he became a fugitive after the Supreme Court sentenced him to 18 months jail for corruption in 1999.