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The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Thursday that it had officially lodged an appeal against the 18-year imprisonment of former antigraft chief Antasari Azhar to reaffirm the prosecution’s original recommendation of capital punishment for the convict, who was also a long-time prosecutor.

“We registered the appeal in the Jakarta High Court” on Wednesday, AGO spokesman Didiek Darmanto said. “Given that the prosecution has demanded the death sentence, the judges should have sentenced him to life in prison at the very least.”

The appeal also was directed against the verdicts of co-defendants, Sigid Haryo Wibisono and Chief Comr. Wiliardi Wizar, for whom the prosecution also demanded the death sentence. They also wanted Jerry Hermawan Lo to serve the 15-year term they sought, as opposed to the five-year term he received.

Sigid, a former media magnate, was sentenced to 15 years for bankrolling the murder of businessman Nasrudin Zulkarnaen, and police official Wiliardi got 12 years for recruiting the hit men. Prosecutors said Antasari ordered the murder last March over a love affair with the victim’s third wife.

Antasari’s defense, meanwhile, said they could not immediately register their appeal because the South Jakarta District Court had not given them a copy of last week’s verdict.

“We will appeal for sure, and we stated that once the judges finished reading the verdict. But we need a copy of the verdict for examination and to prepare the appeal documents,” said Juniver Girsang, the chief defense lawyer for Antasari.

Asked about the AGO’s remarks that Antasari deserved at least life imprisonment, the lawyer laughed.

“That’s what prosecutors said. But everyone who carefully followed all the facts revealed in the hearings would share the opinion that there is no reason whatsoever to sentence Antasari to a single day in prison,” Juniver told the Jakarta Globe. “The judges should have decided unconditional acquittal for Antasari.”

At least 20 prosecutors who handled the murder case met with Attorney General Hendarman Supandji on Monday for his advice. At that time, Hendarman told journalists that any sentence that was not at least two-thirds of what prosecutors had been demanded would be appealed.

In related news, Wiliardi, found guilty of recruiting the five men who carried out the mafia-style killing of Nasrudin on March 14 and who was sentenced to 12 years last week, cannot be fired immediately from his position.

“Wiliardi will appeal the verdict, which means we have to await the result instead of firing him immediately,” chief of police professionalism Insp. Gen. Oegroseno told the Globe on Thursday. “We must respect his effort to defend himself.

“Trust us. When there is a final verdict in this case and if he is still declared guilty, we will take firm action against him.”

Wiliardi lawyer Apolos Djara Bonga welcomed this decision.

“We are glad that the police still respect legal procedures instead of firing my client ,” he said, adding that the appeal would be prepared soon. “We still await a copy of the verdict from the South Jakarta District Court.”

Wiliardi is being held at the National Police detention center.