Gang rape trial starts under heavy security<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The trials of 11 men charged with rape and
\nrobbery of a mother and her teenage daughters in Bekasi last July
\nopened yesterday under tight security measures.<\/p>\n
The men were tried in three separate trials in Bekasi, 30 km
\nsoutheast of here.<\/p>\n
In one of the sessions, Bonen, Mamat and Deddy Setiawan were
\ncharged by Prosecutor Baringin Udjung with gang rape and robbery
\nof the women. At another session Matali, Indra Wijayadi Saputra,
\nAris Haryadi and Jamal were also accused of the same offenses by
\nProsecutor R. Purba.<\/p>\n
While Iwan Rejeki and Muhamad Ali were charged by Oemar Tohir
\nwith rape and robbery, their accomplices Taman and Supriatna were
\ncharged with robbery and possession of arms.<\/p>\n
According to the indictments, the alleged rapists first robbed
\nthe family of their jewelry by placing machetes against their
\nnecks and then raped them.<\/p>\n
The defendants, aged between 17 and 23 years old and mostly
\nunemployed, were arrested in August on charges of having robbed
\nthe family and brutally raping the women and her two teenage
\ndaughters in a small, isolated village in the Bekasi area.<\/p>\n
The gang rape and robbery provoked public anger in the area,
\nand hundreds of well-wishers, including government officials and
\nhuman rights activists from Jakarta, expressed their sympathy to
\nthe family.<\/p>\n
To protect the defendants and the defense lawyers from public
\noutrage, the Prosecutor's Office arranged special security
\nmeasures with the police.<\/p>\n
One hundred and twenty security officers, four police dogs
\nand a fire brigade unit were on guard at the trial, which took
\nplace at the Civil Servants' Hall.<\/p>\n
Every person entering the hall was searched by officers, who
\nheld people's ID cards in exchange for a pass.<\/p>\n
The officers only let 50 people enter the courtrooms to watch
\neach session, leaving hundreds of others outside.<\/p>\n
The defendants were brought into the hall through back doors
\nunder heavy guard. Unlike at the two pretrial sessions at the
\nBekasi courthouse in August where angry mobs attacked the defense
\nlawyers, the public yesterday did not express anger.<\/p>\n
The husband and father of the family, Acan, was also present
\nat the trials, moving from one room to another.<\/p>\n
Reading the indictments, the prosecutors said that some of the
\ndefendants not only raped Acan's wife but also his daughters,
\nwhile the rest only assaulted one of them.<\/p>\n
The trials were adjourned until Thursday next week to give the
\ndefense lawyers the opportunity to prepare their redress.(03)<\/p>\n
Photo -- Page 3<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/gang-rape-trial-starts-under-heavy-security-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }