SERIOUS CRIMES UNIT INFORMATION RELEASE
Ablai Militia Member Convicted of Crimes Against Humanity
For Murders and Deportation in 1999
At 1000 on 12 August 2003, Judges at the Special Panel for Serious Crimes
sentenced Joao Sarmento to 8 years and 8 months imprisonment following
his
recent guilty plea during the Same trial. The former Tim Sasarat Ablai
militia member was convicted of two counts of Crimes Against Humanity
(murder) and Crimes Against Humanity (deportation) for crimes committed
in
Same sub-district in Manufahi district between April and September 1999.
Following
a guilty plea agreement, Sarmento was convicted of Crimes against
Humanity (murder) for the killing of Luis Boco Siri and Agapito de Araujo
in a coordinated militia attack on Orlui village on 17 April 1999. Sarmento
was also convicted of a second count of Crimes against Humanity (murder)
for the killing of Lorenso Tilman in Datina village on 9 September 1999
following the victim's refusal to board a truck to be transported to West
Timor by Ablai militia members. The former Ablai militia member was also
convicted of one count of deportation as a Crime against Humanity for
the
forcible transportation of civilians from villages in Same sub-district
to
West Timor in planned operations in September 1999.
As part
of the guilty plea agreement between SCU Prosecutor Ms. Shyamala
Alagandra with the accused and his Defence Counsel, the SCU Prosecutor
withdrew two counts of Crimes against Humanity for murder and persecution.
The Same
trial began on 4 July 2003. Two former Tim Sasarat Ablia militia
commanders, Benjamin Sarmento and Romeiro Tilman were convicted of Crimes
against Humanity for murder and deportation following guilty pleas and
sentenced to 12 and 8 years imprisonment respectively on16 July 2003.
The
trial of Tim Sasarat Ablai milita member Domingos Mendoca continues at
the
Special Panel for Serious Crimes at Dili District Court in Timor Leste.
Since trials
began at the Special Panels for Serious Crimes in 2001, 35
defendants have been convicted until now including former East Timorese
TNI
soldiers and former East Timorese militia commanders and members as well
as
a former Falintil resistance fighter. The Special Panels for Serious Crimes
are comprised of two International judges and one East Timorese judge.
12 August 2003
FOR MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT SCU CONTACT scu@un.org