Prosecutors have asked the West Jakarta District Court to sentence gang leader Hercules Rozario Marshal to three years in prison for his alleged criminal activities related to the illegal occupancy of a 2-hectare plot in Kalideres.

Hercules has been charged under Article 170 of the Criminal Code on assault.

Exacerbating factors, including the suspect’s prior criminal record, his alleged assault of victims, his not-guilty plea and his lack of remorse were cited by the prosecutors, kompas.com reported.

Hercules' attorney Nuno Magno insisted that Hercules was innocent of the charges.

"We say that Hercules did not violate Article 170, we will include this in the defense," Nuno said.

After the hearing, Hercules made a one-minute speech to his supporters, stating he was in good health and remained resolute.

"I'm brave. If I wasn't a brave man, the state would not have given me [a medal]," he said on Wednesday.

Hercules received the Satyalancana Seroja medal for logistical assistance he had provided to the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) during Seroja Operation in East Timor, now Timor Leste, in the 1990s.

Hercules and 11 subordinates are alleged to have illegally occupied the land belonging to PT Nila Alam on Jl. Daan Mogot in Kalideres for three months, during which the defendants allegedly intimidated and extorted money from locals. (sau)