Jakarta, July 15: Prosecutors today asked judges to jail Tommy Suharto, the youngest son of Indonesia's former dictator, for 15 years for murder and firearms offences but did not seek the death penalty. "In the name of Allah, the beneficent, the merciful, we prosecutors demand the judges at the Central Jakarta District court sentence the defendant to 15 years in prison," Hasan Madani said.
The prosecutors, who took turns summarising their case, contended that Tommy is guilty of the premeditated murder of a judge and of two counts of weapons possession. Both offences are punishable by death. "What the defendant has done was savage," Madani said. But as points in his favour he cited Tommy's "good conduct," his relative youth and the fact that he has a family.
The five judges have not yet reached a verdict against Tommy, who turned 40 today. They are not obliged to follow the sentencing recommendation if they find him guilty.
Bureau Report