Two youths sentenced to death on murder

Kasparman, The Jakarta Post, Padang

A West Sumatra court has ordered the first executions in the province's history, sentencing to death two young men convicted of murder.

Prosecutors had asked the Lubuk Basung District Court to order the executions of defendants Irwan Sadawa Hia and Taroni Hia, both from Nias regency in North Sumatra province.

The sentence was received enthusiastically by around 200 people attending the court session on Wednesday in Lubuk Basung, around 120 kilometers from the provincial capital Padang.

The panel of three judges, led by Mansurdin Chaniago, said the two defendants were found guilty of premeditating the murders of Thamrin Sutan Makmur, Syamsinar and Doni Mahendra -- all residents from Bayur village in the town of Maninjau -- at 0:30 a.m. on Dec. 4 last year.

The incident took place when Irwan lost his job at a local hotel and asked Taroni to help him rob the family of Thamrin, a fish supplier living in Dayur village in Maninjau.

Desi, Thamrin's daughter, said the defendants came to their house around midnight on the pretext of buying fish, when her mother Samsinar was preparing pre-dawn food in kitchen during December's fasting month.

Suddenly, the two robbers then brutally stabbed Samsinar, Thamrin and Doni with knives.

Mansurdin told the court room the defendants deserved the death penalty because they committed "sadistic murders".

"We have considered it maturely before making the decision. However, the two defendants are able to defend their rights," the presiding judge added.

Swasta Syam, a lawyer for the pair, said they were considering appealing the verdict within one week.

"We are still thinking whether to file an appeal to the High Court or to the Supreme Court," he said, admitting he and his clients were "shocked" by the death sentence.