Two get seven years for murder

Two get seven years for murder

JAKARTA (JP): The Central Jakarta District Court on Wednesday
sentenced two men to serve seven years in prison for beating a
man to death.

Presiding judge Suyatno said the two defendants, identified as
Sarijan Purnomo, 30, and Hendri Pasaribu, 32 -- along with a
third suspect identified as Edi alias Gondrong, 33, who was
allegedly shot by police -- were guilty of murdering Udin, 28, on
Jl. Sumenep in Menteng on Feb. 8.

Suyatno said based on witnesses' statements and a police
dossier the defendants were proven guilty of beating to death the
victim, described as a local scavenger.

The defendants decided yesterday to appeal the judge's
decision while prosecutor Rudy Yulianto accepted the verdict.

Rudy had earlier asked the court to sentence the defendants to
ten years in prison.

The defendants had been charged under Article 170 of the
Criminal Code.

According to Sarijan's lawyer, Liston, his client had
retracted his statements described in his police dossier. Liston
said that Sarijan just signed the dossier to avoid being shot by
police.

The lawyer said Hendri, who had refused to be accompanied by a
lawyer in the trial, also retracted the statements in his dossier
due to the same reason.

They were intimidated, Liston said, after they saw their
alleged fellow suspect, Gondrong, shot in the head by police
officers in a car at Monas park shortly after they were arrested.
(jun)