Indonesian court sentences soldiers over prison murders

A military court in Cebongan of Yogyakarta on Thursday sentenced eight special force soldiers who stormed a prison and shot dead four inmates in a revenge killing. The soldiers broke into Cebongan prison near Yogyakarta on the main island of Java in March and carried out the attack to take revenge on the prisoners, who were in custody accused of murdering their superior officer in a nightclub brawl. Ucok Simbolon, the main executor of the attack, was sentenced to 11 years. The two other ringleaders, Second Sergeant Sugeng Sumarya and First Corporal Kodik, were sentenced to eight years and six years respectively. All the three soldiers said that they would appeal the decision. The other five soldiers were sentenced to one year and nine months in jail. The trial opened in June and has been controversial. More than one hundred people staged rally outside the court, giving their support to the soldiers, saying that their acts could calm down gangster move in Yogyakarta province.