Manning's killer faces death

By JOHN ARMSTRONG political editor

The killer of New Zealand soldier Private Leonard Manning could be shot if an Indonesian court convicts him of first-degree murder.

Six Indonesian police are in New Zealand gathering evidence as part of their investigation into Private Manning's death.

They are expected to interview up to 10 soldiers from Private Manning's battalion who were with him when he was killed by militia fighters near the West Timor border in July last year while serving as a United Nations peacekeeper in East Timor.

Murder suspect Yacobus Berek, a former militia commander, is in police custody in Kupang, the capital of Indonesian-controlled West Timor, but has yet to be brought to trial.

The head of the investigation team, Senior Superintendent Gories Mere, said yesterday that there were four other suspects whose identities were known to Indonesian police.

He said investigators believed "the person behind this tragedy" might be charged under the category of "well-planned" murder under Indonesian law - the equivalent of first-degree murder.

Someone found guilty of that charge faces the death penalty, life imprisonment or maximum imprisonment of 20 years. Execution is by shooting.

However, Foreign Minister Phil Goff said New Zealand would not support a death sentence as that would breach United Nations covenants.

Rather, New Zealand's concern was whether Indonesian law was sufficiently robust to give Berek an "appropriately serious" penalty if found guilty of murder.

Indonesia has refused to extradite Berek to East Timor, arguing that an Indonesian citizen who commits a crime abroad can be tried in Indonesia.

Last month, Prime Minister Helen Clark again pressed Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid to begin judicial proceedings against Private Manning's killer.

President Wahid acknowledged that Indonesia's prosecutors were weak and said it was a matter of "finding honest judges."

Mr Mere denied he was under political pressure to bring people to trial. He expected the investigation to be completed in two months.

Feature: Indonesia

CIA World Factbook: Indonesia (with map)

Dept. of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia

Antara news agency

Indonesian Observer

The Jakarta Post

UN Transitional Administration in E Timor

East Timor Action Network