Triple murder trial to start under tight police security<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Security will be tight at the at Central Jakarta
\nDistrict Court today as Harnoko Dewantoro, 32, goes on trial on
\nthree counts of murder.<\/p>\n
The opening of the long-awaited trial of the sole suspect in
\nthe Los Angeles killings, who is also known as Oki, is expected
\nto draw a great deal of public attention.<\/p>\n
"A number of police personnel have been assigned to secure the
\ntrial to make sure that everything will be okay," City Police
\nspokesman Lt. Col. Iman Haryatna told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The police first handed over the dossiers on the case to
\nprosecutors in November. The documents reached the court last
\nweek from the Jakarta Provincial Prosecutors' Office.<\/p>\n
The case which dominated media coverage last year involves
\nsome of the most complex ever legal procedures because Indonesia
\nand the United States do not have an extradition treaty.<\/p>\n
Oki, who ran a small business in Los Angeles, is now serving a
\ntwo-year prison term for passport forgery.<\/p>\n
He is now charged with the murder of his natural brother Eri
\nTri Harto Darmawan, 26, his female friend Gina Sutan Anwar, 28,
\nand his Indian business colleague Suresh Michandani, 45, on
\nseparate occasions in 1991 and 1992.<\/p>\n
According to standard procedures, the first trial session will
\nhear the reading of the indictment by the prosecutors.<\/p>\n
It remains unknown whether relatives of the victims will
\nattend the trial.<\/p>\n
"We have no idea whether we should come to see the trial
\ntomorrow," a relative of Gina told the Post by phone yesterday.<\/p>\n
The trial is expected to be lengthy.<\/p>\n
Bodies<\/p>\n
The decomposing bodies of the three people were discovered in
\na storage locker by police officers in Los Angeles, California,
\nin December 1994. They had been placed there four months
\npreviously.<\/p>\n
Following the discovery and a thorough investigation, the Los
\nAngeles police named Oki as the main suspect and issued a warrant
\nfor his arrest.<\/p>\n
Based on the tips, the Jakarta police arrested Oki in Central
\nJakarta in January 1995.<\/p>\n
According to the trial schedule, a total of 16 people from the
\nUnited States, including Los Angeles detectives, will be
\npresented as witnesses, together with 14 local people.<\/p>\n
The trial will also present 10 expert witnesses from America
\nand another one from Jakarta.<\/p>\n
It is still unclear which party will pay for the tickets and
\nthe accommodation for the foreigners. Sources said that some of
\nthe expenses will be paid by the Jakarta police.<\/p>\n
The team of prosecutors for the trial will be headed by J.
\nKamaru, who will be assisted by M.Jamin, Widyo Pramono and M.
\nYusuf.<\/p>\n
The trial will also present a large body of evidence,
\nincluding guns, bullets and photos of the decomposed bodies. Some
\nof the evidence has been provided by the Los Angeles police force
\nand some was collected by Jakarta officers in the United States.
\n(bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/triple-murder-trial-to-start-under-tight-police-security-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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