'Tempo' trial nearing an end<\/p>\n
Leony Aurora, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The trial of Tempo weekly journalists, who were sued for libel by
\nwell-connected businessman Tomy Winata, is nearing an end with
\nthe final cross-examination of witnesses and defendants completed
\non Monday at the Central Jakarta District Court.<\/p>\n
In three weeks, the prosecutors will convey their recommended
\nsentence for defendants chief editor Bambang Harymurti and
\njournalists Ahmad Taufik and T. Iskandar Ali.<\/p>\n
The defense team and the prosecution will be given time to
\npresent their arguments before the judges bring down the gavel.<\/p>\n
The three are facing a maximum of four years in prison under
\nArticles 310 and 311 of the Criminal Code on libel and a maximum
\nof 10 years under Article 14 on provoking disorder for running an
\narticle titled \"Is Tomy in Tenabang?\" in the weekly's March 3-9,
\n2003, edition.<\/p>\n
Bambang has maintained his stance that the article, which
\ninsinuated the tycoon was behind the fire that razed Tanah Abang
\ntextile market in February last year, included an interview with
\nTomy.<\/p>\n
\"(Therefore) his right to respond has been fulfilled.\"<\/p>\n
Tomy has denied that such an interview took place.<\/p>\n
Bambang admitted an error in the article in a quote from Hosea
\nPetra Lumbun, the Central Jakarta mayor, allegedly interviewed by
\nTempo reporter Yuliantoro on Feb. 19, 2003.<\/p>\n
Some of the information actually came from former mayor Andi
\nSyukur Abdullah. However, Andi was interviewed when in office.
\n\"What matters is that an authorized official gave the information
\nand not the name of the official,\" Bambang argued.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Ahmad Taufik stressed in his last statement that
\nthe information in the article he wrote was not fabricated. \"The
\nproposal exists,\" he said, referring to a proposal to renovate
\nTanah Abang that mentioned Tomy's Bank Artha Graha as its
\nfinancial backer. The proposal was allegedly submitted to city
\nmarket operator PD Pasar Jaya months prior to the fire.<\/p>\n
Lawyer Trimoelja D. Soerjadi asked the court to return the
\noriginal telephone record from state telecommunications company
\nPT Telkom that was submitted as evidence of the interview with
\nTomy.<\/p>\n
\"We need it to file a complaint against Tomy for perjury with
\nthe police,\" said Trimoelja.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tempo-trial-nearing-an-end-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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