Trisakti defendants get prison terms
JAKARTA (JP): The military tribunal convened over the Trisakti incident sentenced two police officers yesterday to 10 months and 4 months in jail respectively for ordering their men to shoot into a crowd of demonstrating students last May.
The two officers, First Lt. Agus Tri Heryanto, 29, and Second Lt. Pariyo, 38, from the city police mobile brigade unit, were also ordered to pay Rp 5,000 (40 U.S. cents) each to help cover trial expenses.
Presiding judge Col. Sudji Suradi said in his verdict that the two officers were guilty of disobeying or exceeding orders as stipulated in Article 103 of the Military Penal Code for acts breaching discipline. Such violations carry a maximum sentence of two years and four months in prison.
Agus' sentence was in line with prosecutor Col. Sadji Purwono's demands, but Pariyo's sentence was three months lighter than requested.
Adnan Buyung Nasution, the senior lawyer on the defense team, said he would appeal the verdict in the military appeals court.
Following Nasution's announcement that he would make an appeal, judge Sudji told the court: "Since the defendants wish to make an appeal, this ruling has yet to become legally binding."
Agus and Pariyo stood throughout the entire hearing, which lasted for almost five hours starting at 9 a.m.
The hearing was attended by at least 300 people.
More than 100 Trisakti students attending the trial displayed banners saying: "The military prosecutor should not be afraid of the police" and "De facto: Police, De jure: Police, We want justice and truth".
Yesterday's hearing was the officers' 16th session since June 6 when the tribunal opened its trial against the two for allegedly ordering their subordinates to open fire on students staging an antigovernment protest in front of Trisakti University on May 12.
Four students were shot to death and dozens of others were injured during the incident.
Three days after the Trisakti shootings, the capital was rocked by massive riots which eventually forced former president Soeharto to leave office after holding onto the post for 32 years.
The two officers are the first of 18 security personnel to be tried in connection with the Trisakti incident.
So far, no one has yet to be charged for the actual shootings and government and military investigators say they are still investigating the cause of the riots.
After the trial, lawyer Adnan told reporters that the court's ruling was truly unfair.
"Of course it is the judge's right, but he ignored all of the facts revealed by the witnesses throughout the trial," he said.
Adnan pointed out that the court had apparently believed the testimony of Salatiel Daili, who claimed he saw Agus wearing a helmet and holding a long rifle at the site, despite testimony by other reliable witnesses who stated they saw the officer wearing a cap and holding a small tear gas gun.
Defense lawyer Mohammad Assegaf added that the defense team would study the judge's statement and prepare a solid argument to prove the two defendants' innocence.
"We have a video tape of the incident clearly showing that Agus only wore a cap and brought a gas gun.
"He was also protecting a student during the fray while kicking at rioters," Assegaf said.
"We hope to soon start preparations for the appeal. We want to fight to the end," he said, estimating they could complete their preparations within two weeks.
Agus told reporters that he and Pariyo had decided to appeal the decision because they believed they had performed their duties well.
"I did the best I could. I'm innocent. How can the judge say there was no life-threatening situation happening when the incident occurred on May 12?
"And the judge said they had decided to dismiss the fact that there were stones and bamboo poles thrown by demonstrators.
"I fought those rioters! I have a scar on my chest to prove it," Agus said. (edt/bsr)