People smuggler jailed over Christmas Island boat horror

AN Afghan man has been sentenced to six years' jail in Indonesia for organising an asylum seeker boat that sank while en route to Christmas Island, killing 90 people.

Dawood Amiri, 25, pleaded guilty to arranging the unstable vessel which capsized in the Sunda Strait on June 21 last year.

Of the 200 passengers on board, 110 survived.

The East Jakarta District court heard Amiri helped organise the people-smuggling venture which accumulated about $1 million from the 200 asylum seekers who paid as much as $6000 to be on the dangerous boat.

In sentencing Amiri, Chief Judge Maryana took into consideration his minor role in the operation and the fact that he was remorseful for his actions, but said his involvement had resulted in many deaths.

"The defendant's actions have caused the loss of lives and the defendant has enjoyed the results of his actions in people smuggling," he said.

Amiri was found guilty under Article 119 and 120 of Immigration Law and fined 750 million rupiah ($A75,000), which can be exchanged for an extra six months in jail.

Amiri, an Afghan national, had been living in Indonesia for two years before his arrest in Jakarta last July, and has one child to his Indonesian wife.

The ethnic Hazara has also admitted to sending other boats to Australia, including one that sank a week after the June 21 disaster.

Four people died and 130 were rescued when that boat sank.

Both the prosecution and Amiri's lawyer are still considering whether they will appeal. They have seven days to decide.