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)