Adiguna's gun killed Rudy: Ballistic, forensic experts

Adiguna's gun killed Rudy: Ballistic, forensic experts

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A police ballistics expert testified on Tuesday at the murder
trial of businessman Adiguna Sutowo that the defendant's gun was
used in the shooting of trainee waiter Johannes "Rudy" Berchmans
Haerudy Natong at the Hilton Hotel's Fluid Bar and Lounge on Jan.
1.

Adj. Sr. Comm. Amri Kamil testified at the Central Jakarta
District Court that the results of his investigation showed the
bullet that killed Rudy was fired from a Smith and Wesson
revolver owned by Adiguna.

He said that during testing at the laboratory several bullets
were fired from Adiguna's gun. Upon examination, these bullets
were found to have the same striations as the bullet that killed
Rudy.

"I found that the scratch lines on the bullets I fired from
the defendant's gun were identical to those on the bullet removed
from Rudy's body. That is what we call the 'fingerprint' of a
gun."

"The bullet removed from Rudy's body was fired from the same
gun," he said, referring to the .22 caliber revolver presented as
evidence to the court, along with 19 bullets that were retrieved
from a toilet in the suite at the Hilton Hotel where Adiguna
stayed on New Year's Eve.

Forensic scientist Abdul Mun'im Idris, who examined the
victim's body, said Rudy was shot at close range, from a distance
of 50 centimeters to 60 centimeters.

"I believe he (the victim) was shot at close range, but the
shooter did not hold the gun against the victim's head because
there was no gunpowder residue on Rudy's head," said the expert,
who works at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital.

Eleven witnesses were summoned for Tuesday's session, but only
six appeared in the courtroom. The other four witnesses who
testified during the session were the operational manager of the
Fluid bar, Devian; Adiguna's maid, Siti Aisah; and two of
Adiguna's colleagues, Haidar Santoso and Yanu Warsita.

Devian said when he heard the gunshot, he rushed to the bar
and saw a man in a long-sleeve white shirt sitting on the top of
the bar. He could not confirm whether the man was holding a gun
or had placed a gun in his pocket, as earlier witnesses
testified.

He testified that he only realized the man he had seen on top
of the bar was Adiguna after the defendant helped carry Rudy to
the hotel's clinic.

Haidar and Yanu were asked during the session to explain a
message on Haidar's cellular phone that seemed to indicate some
of Adiguna's closest relatives might have tried to cover up the
murder.

The message, which was read out by lead prosecutor Andi
Herman, was from a man identified as Abu. It read: "Secure
everything, including the press. Mr. Ponco already knows about
the problem and has to prepare money for protection."

Both Haidar and Yanu testified that they knew nothing about
the message.

The written testimony of witness Daniel Sibarani, who is
currently working overseas, was also presented during the
session. In his testimony, the witness said he saw Adiguna shoot
Rudy.

Prosecutors have no more witnesses to summon. The next session
is scheduled for April 21, at which time the defendant is
expected to take the stand.

Adiguna, 46, is charged with killing Rudy over a Rp 150,000
bar bill early on the morning of Jan. 1. If convicted, he could
face a 15-year sentence for murder and a life sentence for the
possession of an unlicensed firearm. (006)