Suspects proclaim their innocence<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Suspects in a murder case protested their
\ninnocence to the East Jakarta district court here yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"I am just an ordinary, uneducated house-wife who can't even
\nspeak very well. But I have been telling you the truth. My family
\nand I did not murder the Rohadis,\" Suparmi, one of the suspects,
\nsaid, reading her hand-written defense out between sobs.<\/p>\n
On Oct. 2, a woman and three children, were brutally murdered
\nin their home in the Bambu Apus sub-district of East Jakarta. The
\nwoman was the wife of Rohadi, a senior high school teacher.<\/p>\n
Five suspects, including Suparmi, her husband Philipus and
\nthree children are being tried in separate court hearings.<\/p>\n
Last Monday, prosecutors demanded that Suparmi and Philipus be
\nsentenced to death.<\/p>\n
\"I was shocked to hear the prosecutors' cruel statement; I
\nhardly ever quarreled with my neighbors,\" Suparmi said.<\/p>\n
Guilt<\/p>\n
Several points were raised by Suparmi's lawyers, including the
\nprosecutors' persistent assumption of guilt.<\/p>\n
\"Indictment should be based on what has been revealed and
\nproven in court, not elsewhere,\" Suparmi's lawyer said, referring
\nto the suspects' retraction of earlier statements allegedly made
\nunder duress.<\/p>\n
Three lawyers took turns reading the 133-page document and
\nraised several points they considered awkward, such as the
\nquestion of material evidence collected on Oct. 17, nine days
\nafter the suspect's house was destroyed by a mob on Oct. 8.<\/p>\n
Lawyers also said that some evidence wasn't presented in court
\nat all, such as the results of forensic tests on the door-knob,
\nthe refrigerator and some blood-stained coins found at a public
\nphone near the site of the crime.<\/p>\n
\"It is our duty to find the absolute truth,\" the lawyer said.<\/p>\n
In a separate closed hearing, the three minors, who are facing
\n18 years in jail, also told the team of judges led by Farida
\nAchmad that they were innocent.<\/p>\n
\"Us being children, we find it horrifying enough to imagine
\nintestines hanging out, let alone to actually commit the murder,\"
\nthey said.<\/p>\n
Court was adjourned until next Monday. (14)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/suspects-proclaim-their-innocence-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }