Lawyers maintain Adiguna's innocence<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
On the final day of his trial, lawyers of businessman Adiguna
\nSutowo maintained on Thursday their defendant was innocent of
\nmurder and urged the judges to acquit him.<\/p>\n
"We still reject the state prosecutors' charges and we'll
\nstick to our defense statement that Adiguna is innocent and he
\nshould be acquitted from all charges," Adiguna's chief lawyer
\nMohammad Assegaf told the Central Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
Adiguna is charged with killing bartender Johanes Berchmans
\nHaerudy (Rudy) Natong at the Hilton Hotel, owned by Adiguna's
\nbrother Ponco Sutowo, on Jan. 1.<\/p>\n
Thursday's trial was the final session for the defense before
\nthe panel of judges is expected to deliver its verdict on June
\n16.<\/p>\n
Adiguna has consistently denied involvement in the killing
\ndespite the fact that his lawyers have submitted a letter seeking
\nleniency for Adiguna from Rudy's father.<\/p>\n
During Thursday's trial, the lawyers pointed at conflicting
\nstatements by witnesses, whose testimonies have been used by the
\nprosecutors to demand a life sentence for the businessman.<\/p>\n
"We believe there are too many conflicting testimonies. On the
\nshooting incident itself, (a witness) Werner Saferna said Adiguna
\nhanded over the gun to him after a few seconds, while Cut Nina
\nsaid that the defendant hid his gun in his pocket after shooting
\nRudy," Amir Karyatin, one of Adiguna's lawyers, said.<\/p>\n
Amir said that such conflicting testimonies should not be used
\nto charge the defendant.<\/p>\n
"It shows that the charges are speculative."<\/p>\n
Amir said prosecutors had also failed to prove that a quarrel
\noccurred before the shooting.<\/p>\n
"None of the witnesses saw the defendant quarreling with the
\nvictim. Only Cut Nina heard someone say 'stop it, stop it'
\nwithout being able to identify who was arguing. If a quarrel can
\nnot be proven, then the defendant had no reason to kill the
\nvictim," Amir said.<\/p>\n
The lawyers asked the judges to consider that the prosecutors'
\ncharges were unfounded.<\/p>\n
Before adjourning the session, the judges permitted Adiguna to
\nundergo minor surgery for sinusitis, allowing the defendant to be
\nhospitalized for four days as requested by doctors of the M.H.
\nThamrin Hospital, who had earlier examined his health.<\/p>\n
"In the name of humanity, we, the judges decide: First, to
\nallow the defendant to be hospitalized starting from June 2 until
\nJune 6; second, during the hospitalization, we instruct state
\nprosecutors to guard the defendant."<\/p>\n
"And third, the defendant must be returned to his cell in the
\nSalemba Penitentiary on June 7," presiding Judge Lilik Mulyadi
\nsaid, reading out the court's decision.<\/p>\n
Observers say the verdict in the high-profile trial, which has
\ndrawn the attention of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, will
\ntest the courts' independence in trying powerful and wealthy
\nbusinessmen.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lawyers-maintain-adigunas-innocence-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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