Army officers charged for firing pistols in East Timor

Two Army officers, one a lieutenant-colonel, were fined for firing their pistols without permission in East Timor, the Defence Force says.

The officers' courts martial, details of which were obtained under the Official Information Act, were the only two resulting from New Zealand's peacekeeping role in East Timor.

Defence Force chief Air Marshal Bruce Ferguson said the lieutenant-colonel was tried at Dili on April 28, 2000.

He had fired a Sig Sauer pistol without authorisation at Dili a month earlier, and was charged under the Armed Forces Discipline Act. He was found guilty and fined $1750.

The Defence Force did not state what the officer's post in Dili was. A spokesman said a lieutenant-colonel had sufficient rank to command a battalion of about 700 soldiers.

Some details of the second court martial have been suppressed, but it is known that the officer mistakenly fired his Sig Sauer pistol. The incident occurred at the headquarters of 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment at Suai on November 19, 1999.

A court martial was held at Trentham in May last year. The officer was found guilty and fined $1700.

- NZPA

Herald feature: Indonesia and East Timor