American tried for wife abuse

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