Syofiardi Bachyul Jb, The Jakarta Post, Padang
The Padang District Court freed an illegal logging suspect Wednesday after finding the prosecutor's charges groundless.
Presiding judge Betty Aritonang acquitted Thedy Anthony, a suspect in an illegal logging case on Sipora Island, Mentawai Islands, of all charges.
Thedy, director of PT Andalas Terang Nusantara, was put on trial in 2005, when the Padang Prosecutor's Office accused him of felling trees in a state-owned forest.
The prosecutor demanded he serve six years in jail for causing a Rp 7.3 billion (US$793,478) loss to the state.
Some 13,000 cubic meters of timber, claimed as belonging to the company, was seized by police while being shipped out of Mentawai.
However, the panel of judges found the indictment groundless. The court said it was not proven that the timber came from state-owned land and there was no evidence or witnesses to support the charges.
The company obtained official letters from the West Sumatra Forestry Office, Betty said.
She said it was not proven that Thedy had violated the Corruption Law or the Forestry Law.
Prosecutor Jopi Novelis from the Padang Prosecutor's Office said he was unsure if an appeal would be filed.
Last year, two forestry officials from Mentawai Islands were found guilty by the Padang District Court on similar charges. Each was given a two-year jail sentence. However, the verdict was overturned by higher court and they were released.
Vinno Oktavia, coordinator of Anti-Illegal Logging Community, a non-government organization in West Sumatra, said he was not surprised by Wednesday's verdict.
"Since the beginning of the investigation it has moved at a snail's pace. The case was taken to court in 2005 but the verdict was only made Wednesday. During the trial, prosecutors were unable to present sound witnesses," he said.
Between 2006-2007, seven illegal logging cases were dismissed in West Sumatra.
"It is a terrible outcome and shows the failure of legal enforcement on illegal logging cases in West Sumatra. It's about time for experts to evaluate these verdicts more thoroughly," Vinno said.
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