John Kei Sentenced to 12 Years for Sanex Steel Murder
Ronna Nirmala | December 27, 2012
Jakarta gang leader John Kei gestures during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court on Dec. 4. On Thursday, John was sentenced to 14 years in jail for murdering a company chief in Jakarta in January. (JG Photo/Yudhi Sukma Wijaya)
Some 900 police officers stood outside the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday as notorious gang leader John Refra Kei was sentenced to 12 years in jail for the murder of a steel company head in a business dispute gone wrong.
“The defendant’s deed was sadistic,” Chief Judge Supradja said as he read the verdict, according to reports by the Indonesian news portal liputan6.com.
John was found guilty of the brutal murder of 51-year-old Sanex Steel president director Tan Harry Tantono on Jan. 26. Police said John was hired by Tan’s business rival to settle a dispute over Sanex shares.
The two men met at the Swiss-Belhotel in Central Jakarta, where John stabbed Tan to death. The gang leader was later shot during a scuffle with police at another hotel.
Two of John’s associates, Joseph Hungan and Muklis B. Sahab, were sentenced to one and a half years in jail for their roles in the murder.
Thursday’s court session was a chaotic end to what has been an unpredictable case. John’s lawyers repeatedly interrupted judges as the verdict was read with objections to evidence and testimonies already entered into the record.
Judge Supradja threatened to eject the legal team from the courtroom.
“[The] verdict being read out is the result of the panel of judges’ meeting, so let us finish,” he said. “If you don’t like this, then you can leave the room, or I will ask security officers to expel you.”
Officers with the Jakarta Police stood outside the courthouse with water canons in hand to secure the building. During a Dec. 4 session, dozens of the gangster’s supporters tried to storm the courthouse while yelling “Burn the prosecutor! Kill him!”
The mob was pushed back out by police, who responded by firing several warning shots into the air.
