E. Timor Militiaman on Trial for Murder
VOA News
14 Feb 2002 13:11 UTC
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Indonesian prosecutors are calling for a 12 year prison sentence for an East Timorese militiaman accused of killing a New Zealand peacekeeping soldier in July of 2000.

Prosecutor Syafei told the Central Jakarta Court that 37 year old Yacobus Bere not only killed Private Leonard Manning, but mutilated his body. The presiding judge then adjourned the trial, which opened four months ago, until next week.

Five other militia members have been charged in connection with the attack, which took place near East Timor's border with the Indonesian province of West Timor.

Private Manning had been serving with a U.N. force dispatched to East Timor to restore order after pro-Jakarta militiamen ravaged the territory when it voted for independence from Indonesian rule in 1999.

Some information for this report provided by AFP and AP.

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