Spectators stunned by Agus' court appearance<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The presence of Army second Lt. Agus Isrok in
\nthe West Jakarta District Court on Monday stunned onlookers, who
\nclearly did not expect an appearance by the son of an active
\nfour-star Army general.<\/p>\n
Reporters present at the court failed to witness the arrival
\nof Agus, who came to the court to testify in the drug trial of
\nDonny Hendrian.<\/p>\n
Escorted by several men who appeared to be military personnel,
\nAgus -- a member of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) -- made
\nan entrance into the courtroom shortly after his named was called
\nto testify as a witness.<\/p>\n
Those following the trial believed Agus would eventually
\nanswer the court's summons to testify as a witness in the trial,
\nbut they did not expect him to appear any earlier than Monday of
\nnext week.<\/p>\n
The belief that Agus would testify was reinforced by recent
\nremarks by Agus' father, Gen. Subagyo Hadisiswoyo, a former
\nKopassus commander, who said he would not interfere in the drug
\ncase in which his son has also been named a suspect.<\/p>\n
Trial followers based their assumption on when Agus would
\nappear on the fact that prosecutor Amirullah insisted on using
\nAgus' alias, Deky Setiawan, on the summons rather than his given
\nname.<\/p>\n
The court had sent three summonses to Deky's address in
\nBandung, West Java. Moreover, Subagyo said his son would testify
\nonly when he had received a summons bearing his given name of
\nAgus Isrok Mi'raj.<\/p>\n
Thus the astonishment at the appearance of Agus at the trial
\nof Donny, who was arrested with Agus last August in a hotel room
\nin West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Those in attendance at the courtroom on Monday were taken
\naback by the midday appearance of several members of the military
\npolice outside the courthouse.<\/p>\n
Despite the unusual presence of the military police personnel,
\ntrial watchers still doubted this presaged a later appearance by
\nAgus.<\/p>\n
But rumors that Agus would appear to testify spread quickly,
\nand a number of television crews not seen at previous sessions of
\nDonny's trial soon arrived.<\/p>\n
At about 12:45 p.m., dozens of print and broadcast journalists
\nchased after a black Cherokee jeep, which was being escorted by
\ntwo other cars. Agus, it turned out, was not in any of the
\nvehicles.<\/p>\n
The journalists then entered the courtroom, where Zainal
\nAbidin, the operational manager of the hotel in which Agus and
\nDonny were arrested, was giving his testimony as a witness in the
\ncase.<\/p>\n
Prosecutors and lawyers also appeared to be taken aback by the
\nunexpected appearance of Agus in the courtroom on Monday. When it
\nbecame evident Agus would be testifying, what could be
\ninterpreted as looks of shock seemed to register on the faces of
\nthe lawyers and judges.<\/p>\n
But at 1:05 p.m., amid much excitement among those gathered in
\nthe crowded courtroom, the prosecutor called Agus to the witness
\nstand. Photographers and TV crews rose from their seats and
\nrushed to the door to get a glimpse of Agus, who was attired in a
\nwhite long-sleeve shirt, a black tie and black pants. Agus'
\nconvoy of escorts held the journalists at bay as they led the way
\nthrough the courtroom.<\/p>\n
As journalists tussled for seats near the front of the room,
\nthe judges ordered them back.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Hadi Lelana then ordered all those in the
\ncourtroom to turn off their cellular phones.<\/p>\n
A man who appeared to be a member of the Army, carrying a
\nsmall tape recorder, was ordered by Hadi to leave the courtroom
\nafter his cell phone began ringing.<\/p>\n
The man, together with a number of other people who also
\nappeared to be from the military, were attempting to prevent
\npeople from approaching Agus.<\/p>\n
Some minutes later, a court official entered and placed
\nmicrophones in front of the judges, prosecutors, defenders and
\nAgus.<\/p>\n
\"Now you can move back .... You can hear the proceedings
\nclearly with the help of the microphones,\" Hadi told the
\njournalists, who complied and took up places near the rear of the
\nroom.<\/p>\n
After the hearing ended at approximately 2:30 p.m.,
\njournalists struggled to reach Agus, who left the courtroom in
\nthe escort of the same men who saw him into the room over an hour
\nearlier.<\/p>\n
Agus was rushed to a Suzuki minivan and speedily driven away
\nfrom the court. (asa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/spectators-stunned-by-agus-court-appearance-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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