Alleged killer retracts testimony<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The main defendant in the Rohadi family murder
\ncase yesterday retracted statements given earlier to police
\ninvestigators admitting to the crime.<\/p>\n
In a packed East Jakarta district courtroom Philipus Kia
\nLejab, the prime suspect in the murder of a woman and her three
\nchildren in the Bambu Apus sub-district on Oct.2, 1995,
\nrepeatedly said that the reports consisted primarily of police
\nconcoctions.<\/p>\n
\"I hereby retract my earlier testimony filed with the police
\ninvestigators because the police report is not authentic evidence
\nbut is meant to aid the search for truth in court,\" Philipus
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Judge Soenarto, leading the team of judges then questioned
\nPhilipus, asking him about the precise statements he would like
\nto retract.<\/p>\n
Philipus retracted most of his statements regarding his
\ninvolvement in the murder, again saying that he and other
\nsuspects were forced to admit to wrongdoings.<\/p>\n
\"The police told me that our stories needed to be synchronized
\nin order for them to flow smoothly,\" Philipus said.<\/p>\n
Philipus also denied owning pieces of evidence confiscated
\nfrom his house as he had earlier admitted.<\/p>\n
The team of judges also noted the discrepancy of several
\nconflicting statements in Philipus' testimony and urged the
\ndefendant to tell the truth according to his conscience instead
\nof making things up.<\/p>\n
On several occasions the judges had to calm arguments between
\nthe defendant's lawyer, O.C. Kaligis, and prosecutor Saleh
\nAbdurrachman and also remind the watching public to behave
\nthemselves.<\/p>\n
Rohadi, husband and father of the murdered woman and children,
\nwas also present and as outspoken as most of the emotion-laden
\ncrowd.<\/p>\n
Besides Philipus, four other suspects have been detained for
\ntheir alleged roles in the murder. Philipus' wife, Suparmi, and
\nthree other children are still being tried by separate panels of
\njudges.<\/p>\n
The trial was adjourned until Monday. (14)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/alleged-killer-retracts-testimony-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }