President Joko grants clemency to convicted murderers
Indonesian president Joko Widodo granted clemency to a double murderer and two convicted killers, but refused to show any mercy to Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.
Dwi Trisna Firmansyah was one of three men that took part in a double murder. He had his death sentence overturned.
According to media reports, soon after the president granted Firmansyah clemency, he denied the same for Chan and Sukumaran.
Firmansyah, 28, was one of three killers involved in the robbery and planned murder of a shop owner and his son in April 2012, The Jakarta Post reported.
On April 16, 2012, Firmansyah and two other men broke into a man's shop and assaulted him with a bat. The trio also killed the man’s son when he tried to help his father, the Daily Mail reported.
ABC reported that two other murderers had been granted clemency by the president.
Indonesia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Arrmanatha Nasir defended the president’s choice, stating it was decision to make and that drugs had a wider effect on society.
'Indonesia as nation is not taking pleasure in punishing anyone with the death penalty,' he said.
Chan and Sukumaran may have to wait months to face firing squad after it was revealed the duo will be executed at the same to time as other foreigners on death row. This means the pair will have to wait while the other convicted drug smugglers exhaust all their appeals.
The pair’s last appeal was adjourned till March 20.
