American tried for wife abuse

BOGOR: An American citizen, John William De Koning, 59, was tried at Cibinong District Court on Monday on a charge of physically abusing his wife.

During the trial, De Koning's lawyer, Thomas E Tampubolon, demanded the court free his client because the charge was groundless.

De Koning was reported by his wife Mulyo Widhiastuti Mulyoto to the police for abusing her in their home in Bukit Sentul residential estate, Sentul, Bogor, on Dec. 1, 2002, at around 1 p.m.

In her report, Mulyo said that De Koning abused her out of jealousy and accused her of cheating on him. The verbal argument ended with De Koning pushing Mulyo onto a couch and stepping on her several times. Mulyo suffered bruises to most of her body and was taken to the hospital.

Tampubolon said that the investigation into De Koning was against Criminal Code procedures as the defendant had not been accompanied by an interpreter.

The trial was adjourned to next Monday. -- JP