BANDUNG (Indonesia): Ariel, the vocalist of Indonesian pop band Peterpan, was sentenced to 42 months' jail and fined Rp250mil (about RM84,000) in default three months' jail by the provincial court here Monday for making and distributing pornographic videos featuring him and artistes Luna Maya and Cut Tari.
The verdict was read out by the chief judge who presided over the case, Singgih Budi Prakoso, in a courtroom packed with members of the public and the media.
Some of Ariel's female fans wept on hearing the verdict.
The prosecution had called for a jail term of five years.
A panel of three judges was unanimous in ruling that Ariel was guilty under the republic's anti-pornography law.
The distribution of the video last year, which spread like wildfire on the Internet and reached the masses through mobile phones, shocked the nation and stunned the people, with many social media users calling him "Ariel Peterporn".
Ariel and Luna Maya denied their involvement in the act.
Cut Tari, however, owned up to the clip and apologised to the Indonesian people. She also maintained the stand when appearing as a witness in the trial.
Ariel, who smiled upon hearing the verdict, did not offer any statement when the judge asked him whether he would appeal against the verdict.
The singer, who has a week to file his appeal, was then escorted out of the courtroom through the back door.
Hundreds of demonstrators gathered out the court, causing traffic congestion.
They comprise two groups one in support of Ariel, calling themselves "Peterpan's Friends" and the other, those who condemned the singer, who expressed dismay at the verdict and were seen hurling stones towards Ariel's supporters.
Police managed to keep order.
Demonstrators had been gathering outside the court complex since the trial started on Nov 22 last year and swelling in number each time the case came up for hearing. - Bernama
