Atambua murder suspects may be tried in Jakarta

Atambua murder suspects may be tried in Jakarta

JAKARTA (JP): The North Jakarta District Court is scheduled to
hold the trial of the seven suspects of the Sept. 6 murder of
three UN humanitarian workers in Atambua, West Timor, an official
said in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara on Thursday.

"Due to the security situation in Atambua, legal institutions
in the Belu regency have requested the case be handed over to the
Minister of Justice (Yusril Ihza Mahendra) via the Supreme Court,
so that the case can be tried in North Jakarta," chief of East
Nusa Tenggara Prosecutor's Office, Sudhono Iswahyudi, told
reporters in Kupang as quoted by Antara.

Sudhono added that there are two dossiers on the seven
suspects, all of them East Timorese who are now residing in West
Timor.

"The first dossier is on suspect Sinto Parera and his friends.
The second is on suspect Joze Fransisco and his friends," Sudhono
said, without elaborating.

Police have said that the slaying of the three UN workers on
Sept. 6 had been triggered by the murder of ex-militia leader
Olivio Mendoza Moruk. Seven suspects have so far been named in
Olivio's murder.

The UN workers were killed after a mob stormed the UN High
Commissioner for Refugees office in Atambua, just hours before
the opening of the UN Millennium Summit in New York which was
attended by some 150 world leaders, including President
Abdurrahman Wahid.

At the time, Abdurrahman said the attack, which prompted
international condemnation of Indonesia, was a well-organized
scheme to humiliate him at the international event.

Sudhono added on Thursday that the venue for the trial of
Olivio's murderers had not been fixed as yet.

"There are also two dossiers here on all the seven suspects in
Olivio's murder. The first dossier is on suspect Octavianus Pere
and his friends, while the second dossier is on suspect Yulianus
Bere and his friends," Sudhono said.

Article 85 of the Criminal Code Procedures stipulates that
should security conditions prevent a district court from hearing
a case and based on the recommendation of the concerned district
court or prosecutor's office, the Supreme Court can suggest that
the minister of justice appoint another district court to hear
the case.

Attorney General Marzuki Darusman said last month that
Indonesian Military (TNI) personnel were implicated in the deaths
of the former militia leader and the UN aid workers.

Marzuki said "elements in the military" were among the
suspects arrested for their alleged involvement in the killings.
(ylt)