Papuan rebel sentenced for life for murder of Freeport employees

A separatist rebel who killed two American teachers at a Copper and Gold mine PT Freeport Indonesia in Papua province was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday, moments after he and the other defendants walked out of the courtroom alleging their trial was a sham, Agency reported Wednesday.

They are accused of shooting Rickey Lynn Spier, 44, of Littleton, Colorado, and Leon Edwin Burgon, 71, of Sun River, Oregon, in 2003 as their car headed down a road toward the mine.

Judge Andriani Nurdin in Central Jakarta District Court said the ringleader - Antonius Wamang - deserved life behind bars instead of the 20 years demanded by prosecutors because he planned the ambush.

"This was premeditated murder," she said, describing his actions as a "gross violation of human rights."

The court also jailed six Wamang's accomplices for between one and a half years and seven years each.

Meanwhile, Antara news agency reported that defendants were absent when the sentence was read. They preferred to return to their cells when they were called to attend the hearing. (*)