Testimony given under duress: Dutchman<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Dutchman Christian van den Bosch, who is being
\ntried on charges of distributing illicit drugs, told the court
\nyesterday that he was coerced into making a confession to police.<\/p>\n
\"I made the testimony under pressure from the police,\" the 27-
\nyear old defendant told presiding judge Djamil Sularso at the
\nCentral Jakarta court.<\/p>\n
Christian said that he wished to retract the testimony he gave
\nduring police questioning because it was made under duress.<\/p>\n
The defendant is charged with drug trafficking after he and
\nthree companions were arrested at the Hotel Borobudur last
\nFebruary.<\/p>\n
Several thousand capsules of the banned drug Eva containing
\nderivat amphetamine were about to be sold by the defendant and
\nhis companions to an Indonesian buyer by the name of Irsan at a
\nprice of Rp 80,000 (US$37) each.<\/p>\n
The deal was foiled by the police who apprehended the
\ndefendant and his accomplices and seized the drug from them.
\nIrsan managed to escape during the police raid.<\/p>\n
Two of the three accomplices, Steven Bryner and Peter Karajin,
\nwere members of the American embassy security staff here who,
\nunder diplomatic protocol, have been extradited and are being
\ntried under U.S. law in Guam.<\/p>\n
The third, a Dutch of Ambonese descent by the name of Leonard
\nJacobus, is being tried separately at the Central Jakarta Court.<\/p>\n
In his native tongue, which was then translated by the court
\ntranslator, Christian recounted the events of his arrest and
\nrevealed how he was verbally pressured into giving false
\ntestimony.<\/p>\n
\"They told me I could receive a very stiff sentence if I
\ndidn't collaborate with them,\" Christian explained.<\/p>\n
Answering questions raised by prosecutor Suriansjah, Christian
\nsaid he was at the Borobudur hotel to have lunch with his
\nfriends.<\/p>\n
He further retracted a statement he made to the police
\nadmitting that he was smuggling drugs on order from a local
\nfemale buyer named Nova. If in fact she actually exists, Nova is
\nstill at large.<\/p>\n
Christian claimed that he knew nothing about the drugs which
\nwere presented as evidence.<\/p>\n
Yesterday's session ended four weeks of testimony made by
\nseveral witnesses. The trial is scheduled to resume on June 29
\nwith the prosecution's indictment. (mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/testimony-given-under-duress-dutchman-1447893297",
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