Court decision upsets Makassar teachers<\/p>\n
MAKASSAR, South Sulawesi (JP): Hundreds of elementary school
\nteachers were outraged on Wednesday when a panel of judges in the
\nMakassar District Court adjourned the trial of a student's parent
\nwho had beaten a fellow teacher.<\/p>\n
The teachers, from some 400 elementary schools in Makassar,
\nthe capital of South Sulawesi, became even angrier when they
\nlearned that the defendant, Syafril Muis Hamzah, was not
\ndetained.<\/p>\n
The trial was adjourned until Saturday as the prosecutor
\nfailed to present the witnesses. The adjournment was the second
\nsince the trial began earlier this month.<\/p>\n
Shortly after the presiding judge, Muzzakir, announced that
\nthe trial was adjourned, the teachers tried to grab the
\ndefendant. They also blocked the courtroom entrance to prevent
\nthe defendant and his family from leaving.<\/p>\n
The teachers also attacked security personnel who tried to
\ndisperse them. Outside the courtroom, police officers fired
\nwarning shots to stop the teachers from throwing stones and drink
\nbottles into the courtroom.<\/p>\n
The situation was gradually brought under control when the
\nsenior teachers and the victim's lawyer, Syaifuddin Suding,
\ntalked to the angry teachers, advising them to calm down.<\/p>\n
\"They are emotional, but they are like parents to us, so it is
\nnot necessary for the police to fire warning shots to stop them,\"
\nSyaifuddin said.<\/p>\n
The defendant is being tried for assaulting Sahari, a teacher
\nof the state-run Cendrawasih elementary school.<\/p>\n
The incident stemmed from a minor argument between two
\nstudents of the school, namely Nabila and her classmate Dewi Ayu
\nFianti, in March. Their teacher, Alri Djaria, intervened and
\nmanaged to settle the quarrel.<\/p>\n
But the following day, Nabila's father, Syafril, came to the
\nschool to air his dissatisfaction and even threatened Alri.<\/p>\n
Syafril and wife, Rosdina, came to the school again the next
\nday and were received by Sahari. Alri apparently was absent
\nbecause he was afraid of Syafril's earlier threats.<\/p>\n
Syafril and Sahari soon became involved in a heated argument.
\nSyafril, helped by his wife, then hit Sahari.<\/p>\n
Sahari had to be rushed to a nearby hospital.<\/p>\n
On Wednesday, the teachers threatened to boycott the
\nnationwide final examinations if the case was not handled
\nproperly soon. They suspect the judges were bribed by the
\ndefendant, who is a legal consultant.<\/p>\n
The suspicion, however, was immediately dismissed by Muzzakir.
\n\"We had no intention of adjourning the trial. We just did what
\nthe prosecutors requested.\" (27\/emf)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/court-decision-upsets-makassar-teachers-1447893297",
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