Special Panel accepts two guilty pleas
JSMP, Dili 5 April 2002
The Special Panels of the Dili District Court this week decided to
accept
pleas of guilty in two serious crimes cases, thereby allowing
the court to
avoid a full trial. Both Marcurious Jose de Deus and
Augusto dos Santos
pleaded guilty to murder charges and are now
awaiting sentencing. The only
time this has happened before was in the
first case heard by the Special
Panel, that of Joao Fernandes, back in
January 2001.
The trial against Marcurious Jose de Deus, a member of the Laksaur
militia,
commenced on Tuesday this week. He is charged with one count
of murder of
Rosalina Cardosa Belak in Manekiik village, Covalima
district on 6
September 1999. Before any witnesses were called, the
accused was given an
opportunity to make a statement in which he
admitted committing the murder
and stated that he regretted what he
had done. He stated that he was acting
on the orders of the militia
commander, but said he was not forced. After
a short break, the
Special Panel, comprised of Judge Antero Luis (Portugal)
presiding,
Judge Benfeito Mosso Ramos (Cape Verde) and Judge Antonio Helder
(East
Timor), announced that it accepted the admission of guilt. The
sentence will be announced on 18 April 2002.
The following day, Wednesday, a differently constituted Special Panel
announced that it had accepted the admission of guilt made by Augusto
dos
Santos. Dos Santos, a member of the Ami Hametin Integrasi (AHI)
militia,
is charged with participating in the murder of Antonio
Ribeiro in Aileu on
4 September 1999. The trial commenced on 19 March
2002 but had been
adjourned after the accused's admission for the
Special Panel, comprised of
Judge Sylver Ntukamazina (Presiding),
Judge Benfeito Mosso Ramos (Cape
Verde) and Judge Maria Natercia
Gusmao Pereira (East Timor), to consider
whether or not to accept it.
The sentence will be announced on 17 April 2002.
In other news, the Same crimes against humanity trial, which was due to
commence yesterday, has been further postponed due to administrative
problems within the court. The court announced that the case will
recommence on 27 May 2002.
Also yesterday, the trial against East Timorese former TNI soldier,
Gaspar
Leite, continued in Dili. Two witnesses testified that they
were taken
away by the accused but saw the corpse of the victim. The
court is now
considering whether to accept the autopsy report into
evidence. Leite is
charged with the murder of Domingus Maukinta in
Aileu district on 9
September 1999. The trial will continue on 11
April 2002.
- JSMP -