National

FKM Secretary-General Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison
Thursday, 02 December, 2004 | 07:59 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Ambon, Maluku:Ambon District Court judges have sentenced Maluku Sovereignty Front (FKM) Secretary-General Moses Tuanakota, 45, to nine years in prison, less time already spent in detention.

“The defendant is proven guilty and is therefore sentenced to nine years in prison less time already spent in detention,” said Robert Limbong, chief of the judges in the trial held on Monday (29/11).

This sentence is less than that demanded by the public prosecutor, who asked the judges to sentence Moses to 17 years in prison.

The judges considered the defendant guilty as he had committed a coup d’état attempt against the Indonesian government, according to the law, by urging people to support the South Maluku Republic (RMS) separatist movement.

The defendant was charged based on article 106 of Criminal Code (KUHP) juncto article 55 sub section 1 of the KUHP and article 110 sub section 1 of the KUHP.

Moses has been active in the FKM organization since 2002.

He was taken to court as he held a ceremony for the anniversary of the South Maluku Republic separatist movement on April 25 this year.

The ceremony was attended by many people.

However, the chairman of the FKM, Dr. Hermanus Manuputy, managed to escape to the USA last year.

During the RMS anniversary ceremony, Moses read out the independence proclamation of the RMS and a written speech of the FKM chairman, which was sent via fax from the USA.

The FKM chairman Manuputy said in the speech that the Maluku people must be grateful for the holding of the anniversary ceremony and that RMS sovereignty would take place soon.

Moses said that he would file an appeal against his sentence.

“I will file an appeal because I am unsatisfied with the trial process, not the length of my sentence,” said Moses. (Mochtar Touwe-Koran Tempo)