Jakarta – The Medan Military High Court has sentenced Lt. Col. Robert Simanjuntak, the former head of the Roesmin Nurjadin airport personnel office in Pekanbaru, Riau, to three months in jail for assaulting Riau Post photographer Didik, who was covering the Indonesian Air Force Skyhawk 200 fighter jet crash last year.

"The Military High Court sentenced Lt. Col. Robert Simanjuntak to three months in jail deducted by his detention period and ordered him to pay the trial cost of Rp 25,000 (US$2.2)," presiding judge Col. Djodi Suranto said in Pekanbaru, as quoted by Antara news agency on Tuesday.

Robert was detained for 20 days from Oct. 17 to Nov. 5, 2012. The assault took place moments after the incident in Kampar regency, Riau, on Oct. 16, 2012.

A member of the judge's panel, Col. Hariadi Purnomo, said that Robert's act had tarnished the good name of the Indonesian Military. His mitigating circumstance was that he admitted all what he had done, Hariadi said.

After consulting with his lawyers, Robert was given seven days to decide whether he would accept the verdict or file an appeal.