Garuda pilot jailed but crash victims say 'justice not served'

Stephen Fitzpatrick
Jakarta correspondent April 06, 2009
The Australian

FORMER Garuda pilot Marwoto Komar has appealed after being found guilty of criminal negligence over the plane disaster in which 21 people, including five Australians, died.

Captain Marwoto has been sentenced to 2 years' jail over the crash in March 7, 2007.
The guilty verdict came despite a last-minute plea from Indonesia's pilot federation calling for the pilot to be acquitted.
The Australians killed in the crash were diplomat Liz O'Neill, AusAID official Allison Sudradjat, Australian Federal Police officers Brice Steele and Mark Scott, and Australian Financial Review journalist Morgan Mellish.
Caroline Mellish, the younger sister of Morgan Mellish, told The Australian: “Justice has not been served – he was not given the maximum sentence.”
“If they think his wholly and solely responsible then two years is not enough. And if they think he’s not they should have mentioned the failings of the system in their judgement.”
Captain Marwoto immediately appealed the sentence and was free to go home until the next hearing. His family members were in tears after the verdict and left the courtroom.
A majority of a panel of five judges sentenced Komar in the Sleman District Court.
Prosecutors wanted Komar jailed for four years, and have said there is no evidence to support his claim that the Boeing 737 malfunctioned.
The maximum available sentence for the crime is seven years in prison.
Investigators have said Komar ignored a series of warnings not to land the plane as he brought it in at about twice the safe speed.