PROSECUTORS DELIVER SENTENCING REQUESTS IN TIMIKA

UNCLAS JAKARTA 012544 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/MTS, DS/DSS, DS/IP/EAP, DS/EAP/ITA AND CA/OCS/ACS FBI PLS PASS CTD/ITOS I, CTD/ITOS II, GOU E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ASEC CASC KJUS PHUM ID SUBJECT: PROSECUTORS DELIVER SENTENCING REQUESTS IN TIMIKA TRIAL REF: JAKARTA 12161 ¶1. Prosecutors delivered their sentencing requests in court on October 13 for seven suspects accused of involvement in the murder of two Amcits in Timika, Papua in 2002. Prosecutors requested a sentence of 20 years for Antonius Wamang and 15 years for Agustinus Anggaibak and Yulianus Deikme on the charge of premeditated murder. For the other four defendants, prosecutors requested eight years on the lesser charge of accessory to murder. ¶2. The six defendants who came to the court session once again refused to stand trial and were removed from the courtroom. Before their removal, Wamang and Reverend Isak Onawatme complained about the situation of fellow suspect Hardi Sugomol, who was not in attendance and whose health has been deteriorating since the trial began. According to Wamang, the doctor who examined Sugomol told them that Sugomol was suffering from inflammation of the heart and liver and had sustained damage to his lungs as a result of tuberculosis. Chief Judge Adriani Nurdin then said that she and the prosecutors would meet with the doctor to discuss whether Sugomol needed to be hospitalized. (Note: Sugomol was hospitalized for a period of 15 days earlier in the trial. Funding for health care for prisoners is available but rather difficult to obtain. In many cases the prosecutors must pay the hospital out of pocket and then try to get reimbursed.) The defense lawyers did not attend the session. ¶3. In view of the upcoming Idul Fitri holiday marking the end of Ramadan, Judge Nurdin scheduled the next session for October 31. Defense attorneys will have an opportunity to respond to the sentencing requests at that time. In order to comply with limits on detention of suspects, the judges must hand down their verdicts before November 17. PASCOE