The three would not have to stay in jail but only had to observe their probation periods. If they repeated their offense during the probation periods, they would be rearrested and serve their jail sentences.
Bogor, West Java (ANTARA News) - The district court of Cibinong, West Java, on Wednesday sentenced three defendants in an attack on an Ahmadiyah mosque in Cisalada, Bogor, to suspended jail terms of four to six months.

The panel of judges chaired by Astriwati ruled the three had violated Article 170 of the Criminal Code and sentenced Dede Novi (20) and Aldi Afriansyah (19) to six months imprisonment with a year under probation each , and Akbar Ramanda (17) to four months under eight month probation.

The sentences were lighter than the prosecutor`s demand of nine months for Dede and Aldi with a year under probation and five months for Akbar with five months under probation.

The three would not have to stay in jail but only had to observe their probation periods. If they repeated their offense during the probation periods, they would be rearrested and serve their jail sentences.

The defendants` family members and the community hailed the verdicts. The defendants` chief lawyer San Allaudin said the verdicts were just although they did not meet their demand for the defendants` acquittal.

"The judges` verdicts were fair but did not meet our wish for their conditional release. And therefore we need time to consider whether or not we are going to appeal the rulings. We will refer the decision to their families," San said.

San admitted his clients had pelted rocks at the Ahmadiyah mosque during the attack. "Our clients were only proven to have thrown stones, not to have committed arson. So the judges` ruling was correct, which was lighter than the prosecutors` demand," he said.

Cibinong District Court spokesman Alfon who was also a member of the panel of judges said the decision not to ask for their detention was made because they had behaved well and had never been involved in crimes before.

"The decision was made for the sake of all parties," he said.

The prosecution represented by Epiyarti meanwhile said she would think whether or not to appeal the verdict.

Family members expressed gratefulness for the verdict. "Thank God. our child is not to be jailed. I will take care of him so that he will not conduct the same action during probation," Akbar`s mother, Nyai Maria, said.

Ciampean community leader who is also a member of the Bogor Indonesian Council of Ulemas`s local board of advisors Mukhtar also expressed gratefulness for the verdict. "Thank God. justice has been delivered. We are grateful they are not to be jailed," he said.

Mukhar said he would ask people in the area to maintain the situation in Ciampea to remain conducive to prevent conflicts that could cause them to be detained.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011