The Judicial System Monitoring Programme (JSMP) was set up in early 2001 in Dili, East Timor. Through court monitoring, the provision of legal analysis and thematic reports on the development of the judicial system, and outreach activities, JSMP aims to contribute to the ongoing evaluation and building of the justice system in East Timor. For more information, please email us at info@jsmp.minihub.org O Programa de Monitoramento do Sistema Judicial (JSMP) foi constituído no início de 2001 em Dili, Timor Leste. Através da monitorização do trabalho dos tribunais e da elaboração de análises legais e de relatórios temáticos sobre o desenvolvimento do sistema judicial, o JSMP espera poder contribuir para a avaliação contínua e para a construção do sistema de justiça em Timor Leste. Para informação adicional, email: info@jsmp.minihub.org Program Pemantauan Sistem Yudisial (JSMP) dibentuk pada awal tahun 2001 di Dili, Timor Leste. JSMP bertujuan untuk memberikan kontribusi terhadap kelangsungan pembangunan dan evaluasi sistem peradilan di Timor Leste melalui pemantauan pengadilan, penyediaan analisis hukum dan laporan-laporan tematis terhadap perkembangan system yudisial. Untuk informasi lebih lanjut, email: info@jsmp.minihub.org
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SPSC Case Information 2000
Please note that: The following information relates only to indictments that have been issued by the Special Panel for Serious Crimes of the Dili District Court. The accused listed below cannot be assumed guilty unless it has been decided by a court of law. While JSMP endeavours to ensure the accuracy of the information provided below, we cannot guarantee that the attached indictments and judgments are authoritative versions. All the cases are listed according to case number. If you need more information on any partucular case, please contact JSMP via: info@jsmp.minihub.org .
Last modified: 17 August, 2005
Name Of Accused
Documents
Case Number, Case Summary, Other Information

Joao Fernandes

(aka João Atabe)

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Court of Appeal Decision PDF Majority (Portuguese) & Dissent (English)

Court of Appeal Decision - Majority & Dissent PDF (English)

JSMP Comments:
21 June 2001
26 June 2001
2 July 2001

Case number: 1/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged member of the Dadarus Merah Putih militia. Indicted on 15/11/00 with one charge of murder of a pro-independence supporter in Maliana, Bobonaro district on 8/9/99. Accused pleaded guilty during the preliminary hearing and the Special Panel proceeded to judgment without trial. The Court accepted that the accused had acted under orders from the TNI and militia commander. Convicted on 25/1/01 and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. Final appeal dismissed by Court of Appeal on 29/6/01.

Preliminary Hearing: 10/1/01
Trial dates:
16/1/01, 18/1/01, 25/1/01

CASE FINALISED

     
Julio Fernandes

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Court of Appeal (Filing of appeal out of time) PDF (English)

Court of Appeal Decision PDF - Majority (Portuguese) & Dissent (English)

Conditional Release Decision PDF (English)

JSMP Comments:
21 June 2001
26 June 2001

29 Oct 2001

Case Number: 2/2000

Summary of Case: The only FALINTIL member convicted by the Special Panel for Serious Crimes. Indicted on 16 /11/00 with one charge of murder of a suspected Darah Merah Integrasi militia member in Gleno, Ermera district on 27/9/99. The accused claimed he was forced to kill under threat of death from villagers who had captured and beaten the victim. The defence disputed the causal link between accused's acts and the death of the victim, claiming the victim was already fatally injured. The Court held that duress was not made out. Convicted on 1/3/01 and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. Court of Appeal reduced sentence to 5 years on 29/10/01.

Julio Fernandes was granted conditional release on 9 September 2003.

Preliminary Hearing: 10/1/01
Trial dates: 6/2/01, 27/2/01,1/3/01

CASE FINALISED

 

     
Carlos Soares Carmona

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Court of Appeal Decision PDF (Portuguese)

Case Number: 3/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged member of the Darah Merah Integrasi militia. Indicted on 23/11/00 with one charge of murder of a man accused of performing black magic and causing the deaths of several children in Asulau village, Ermera district on 28/5/99. The defence claimed this was "ordinary" murder, not a serious crime. The accused claimed that he was drunk and that he was forced to kill the victim by the father of one of the deceased children. The Court deemed that the defendant's membership of the militia was irrelevant. Convicted on 19/4/01, sentenced to 11 years imprisonment. Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to 8 years on 2 August 2001.

Preliminary Hearing: 18/1/01, 30/1/01
Trial dates: 13/2/01, 8/3/01, 19/4/01

CASE FINALISED

     
SAME case
Benjamin Sarmento
Romeiro Tilman
Joao Sarmento
Domingos Mendonca

Decision to allow Prosecution to withdraw indictment and file new indictment PDF (Portuguese)

Case Number: 4/2000

Prosecution granted leave to withdraw indictment and file new indictment on 14 November 2001.

Became Case Number 18/2001.

CASE FINALISED

     
Joseph Leki

Indictment PDF (English)

Decision to release from pre-trial detention PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

JSMP Comments:
29 May 2001

Case Number: 5/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged member of the Laksaur militia. Indicted on 24/11/01 with two charges of murder of pro-independence supporters in Tilomar and Muta Sikun, Cova Lima district on 25 and 26/9/99. On 21/2/01 the Special Panel conditionally released the accused from detention pending the trial. At trial, the accused's claim that he acted under immediate threat of death was supported by two prosecution witnesses. The Special Panel held that although duress was proved, the accused remained criminally responsible. Convicted on 11/6/01 and sentenced to 13 years imprisonment.

Granted reduction of sentence by one year by Presidential Decree on 20 May 2005.

Preliminary Hearing: 18/1/01
Trial dates: 18/5/01, 22/5/01, 29/5/01

CASE FINALISED

     

SAME case
Benjamin Sarmento
Romeiro Tilman
Joao Sarmento
Domingos Mendonca

Indictment PDF (English)

Withdrawal of Indictment PDF (Bahasa Indonesia)

Case Number: 6/2000

On 22 November 2001 this indictment was withdrawn and the case incorporated into Case No 18/2001.

CASE FINALISED

     
Augostino da Costa

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Court of Appeal Decision PDF (Majority – Portuguese, Dissent – Bahasa Indonesia)

JSMP Comments:
16 July 2001
22 July 2003 (Eng)
22 July 2003 (BI)

Case Number: 7/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged member of Tim Pancasila militia. Indicted on 30/11/00 with one charge of murder of a UNAMET local staff member and FALINTIL supporter in Atabe village, Ermera district on 31/8/99. Convicted on 16/7/01 and sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. Final appeal dismissed by Court of Appeal on 18 July 2003.

Granted reduction of sentence by one year by Presidential Decree on 20 May 2005.

Preliminary Hearing: 26/4/01, 10/5/01
Trial dates:
21/6/01, 28/6/01, 16/7/01, 11/10/01

CASE FINALISED

 

     
Mateus Tilman

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Conditional Release Decision PDF (Tetum)

JSMP Comments:
14 June 2001
24 Apr 2003

Case Number: 8/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged member of the Ablai militia. Indicted on 30/11/00 with charges of attempted murder, serious maltreatment and destruction of property of pro-independence supporters in Hola-Rua village, Same sub-district, Manufahi district on 2/9/99. At trial the accused denied committing the crimes alleged. Convicted on 14/6/01 of attempted murder and sentenced to 4 years imprisonment. Granted conditional release on 22 March 2003.

Preliminary Hearing: 29/1/01
Trial dates: 29/5/01, 5/6/01, 14/6/01, 24/8/01

CASE FINALISED

     
Los Palos Case
Joni Marques
Manuel Da Costa
Joao Da Costa aka Lemorai
Paolo Da Costa
Amelio Da Costa
Hilario Da Silva
Gonsalo dos Santos
Alarico Fernandes
Mautersa Monis
Gilberto Fernandes

Amended Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment (Full English Version) PDF
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6

Judgment (short English version) Word

Judgment (short Bahasa Indonesia version) Word

Court of Appeal Decision PDF (Portuguese)

JSMP Comments:
3 July 2001
10 July 2001
13 July 2001
24 Aug 2001
20 Sep 2001
8 Nov 2001
11 Dec 2001
1 July 2002

JSMP Trial Report PDF (English)

JSMP Trial Report PDF (Bahasa Indonesia)

Case Number: 9/2000

Summary of Case: The accused were members or sympathisers of the Team Alpha Militia groups operating in the Los Palos district. An amended indictment was presented on 6/3/00 which included seven charges of crimes against humanity that took place in Lautem district between 21/4/99 and 25/9/99, including torture, forcible transfer of population, persecution, 4 individual murders and the murder of a group of clergy. All the accused were convicted on 11/12/01 with sentences ranging from 4 years to 33 years and 4 months imprisonment.

On 9 May 2005 the sentences of Joni Marques, Joao da Costa and Paulo da Costa were reduced by Presidential Decree to 25 years imprisonment.

The Defence filed a Notice of Appeal but this was not heard until 16 March 2005, at which time the Appeal was withdrawn.

Note: On 21/6/02 Alarico Fernandes was granted conditional release after serving 2/3 of his sentence.
Release Decision PDF (Portuguese)

Note: On 28/02/03 Gilberto Fernandes was released after serving 2/3 of his sentence.
Release Decision PDF (English)

On 13/03/03 Gilberto Fernandes was re-arrested for another alleged crime in 1999 but was conditionally released. See JSMP Comments 11. In that case he was sentenced to one and a half years imprisonment for violence against property (See Case No 12/2002).

Note: On 11/9/03 Mautersa Monis was granted conditional release after serving 2/3 of his sentence.
Release Decision PDF (English)

Preliminary Hearing: 6/3/01, 17/5/01
Trial dates: 9/7/01- 11/12/01

CASE FINALISED

     
Syaful Anwar

Indictment PDF (English)

Case Number: 9/2000 see also 12a/ 2002

Summary of Case: Deputy Commander of KOPASSUS based in Los Palos in 1999. Originally indicted on 11/12/00 as part of the Los Palos case with 4 charges including crimes against humanity that took place in Lautem district between 21/4/99 and 25/9/99, including torture and murder. Currently at large, presumed to be in Indonesia. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

ACCUSED AT LARGE

     

Manuel Goncalves Leto Bere

(aka Manuel Leto Bere)

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Court of Appeal Decision PDF (Portguese)

 

Case Number: 10/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged platoon Commander of the Dadurus Merah Putih militia. Indicted on 11/12/00 with one charge of murder of a FALINTIL supporter near Maliana on the border with West Timor in late September 1999. The Special Panel accepted the accused's claim at trial that he was ordered to kill the victim by TNI members but rejected his claim that he acted under duress. Convicted on 15/5/01 and sentenced to 14 years imprisonment. The Court of Appeal upheld the decision at first instance on 16/ 10/ 03.

Preliminary Hearing: 6/2/01, 13/2/01, 14/2/01
Trial dates:
19/4/01, 20/4/01, 24/4/01, 15/5/01

CASE FINALISED

     
Leonardus Kasa

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (Bahasa Indonesia)

COA Decision PDF (Portuguese)

JSMP Comments:
10 May 2001

Case Number: 11/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged member of Laksaur militia. Indicted on 12/12/00 with one charge of rape of a woman in West Timor on 10/9/99. At the preliminary hearing on 14/2/01 the defence claimed the Special Panel lacked jurisdiction to hear the case as the alleged rape occurred outside the territory of East Timor. On 15/5/00 the Special Panel declared that it had no jurisdiction and removed all conditions imposed on the accused who had been conditionally released from detention on 14/2/01. Appeal filed by Prosecution on 11 October 2001 and withdrawn on 5 April 2004.

Preliminary Hearing: 14/2/01, 22/2/01, 6/3/01, 26/4/01
Trial dates:
9/5/01 (interim judgment)

CASE FINALISED

     
Carlos Soares

Indictment PDF (English)

Judgment PDF (English)

Court of Appeal Decision PDF (Tetum)

 

Case Number: 12/2000

Summary of Case: Alleged member of Darah Integrasi militia. Indicted on 12/12/00 with one charge of murder of a man in Lete Foho Village in early September 1999. The panel accepted that he had been ordered to shoot people who were hiding in the villages but did not find that this constituted duress. Convicted on 15/5/01 and sentenced to 15 years and six months imprisonment. Sentenced reduced to 13 years imprisonment on appeal on 11/2/04.

Granted reduction of sentence by one year by Presidential Decree on 20 May 2005.

Preliminary Hearing: 14/2/01
Trial dates: 24/4/01, 8/5/01, 11/5/01

CASE FINALISED

Copy Right: JSMP-DIli, Nov 2003