Girl found guilty of defamation, escapes jail term

The Bogor District Court found Nurarafa guilty of defaming a fellow Facebooker on Tuesday, but spared her from prison by suspending her jail term within five months of probation.

Presiding judge Ekofa Y Rahayu said the 18-year-old would serve two-and-a-half months of prison if she committed the same offense.

“The offender will be under our supervision. If she repeats the crime she will be sent to jail,” Ekofa said. The fact that the defendant was a youth considered in her verdict, Enova added.

State prosecutors had sought five months of suspended prison within 10 months of probation for Nurarafa for allegedly violating the Criminal Code for defaming Fely Fandini Julistin Karnories on her Facebook account.

Nurarafa said she posted obscenities against Fely out of jealousy.

Despite her conviction, Nurarafa said she was relieved as she did not want to serve a jail term. She added she was traumatized by the trial, which she said would encourage her to behave online.