Businessman faces 14 years imprisonment

Businessman faces 14 years imprisonment

JAKARTA (JP): A state prosecutor asked the North Jakarta
District Court yesterday to sentence businessman Hasan, alias Eng
San, to 14 years in jail for inducing other people to kill his
business rival Nyo Beng Seng.

Prosecutor Andhi Nirwanto said Eng San was guilty of violating
article 55 of the Penal Code which carries a maximum 15 years
jail term.

"The defendant deserves such a sentence since he organized the
murder. He had also been convicted before for gambling."

According to the prosecutor, Eng San also gave confusing
testimony and hampered the trial by faking illness.

Yesterday's session also featured the prosecutor and lawyers
arguments. The session was scheduled to hear three witnesses
asked by Judge Bhaedowie but neither the prosecutor nor the
defense lawyers were able to bring them to the stand.

The prosecutor said he could not present witness Kiki Arianto
because he was not at his previous address in Bekasi.

"We have sent several summons but he is not there anymore. We
have also searched his whereabouts but came up empty-handed,"
Andhi said.

The prosecutor asked the court to allow him to continue the
trial with his concluding statement.

The request was strongly objected by defense lawyers Soedjono
and Teguh Samudera because they could present their witnesses,
but needed another week to prepare.

"My colleagues and I met with Hong Lie and A Gun in Hong Kong
last week. Both of them agreed to testify in person, but A Gun
will need one week to complete his visa, while Hong Lie still has
other business in the U.S," Soedjono said.

Last week, Judge Bhaedowie asked the prosecutor and the
defense lawyers to present witnesses, Kiki Arianto, A Gun, and
Hong Lie in court because their written testimony was unclear and
the court would hear them under cross-examination.

According to the police, the three witnesses are wanted for
their involvement in the crime.

Soedjono said they had pictures of Hong Lie and A Gun to prove
their meeting and a videotape of their willingness to testify in
person.

Soedjono asked the court to allow him to play the tape, but
the prosecutor argued against this, saying neither he nor the
defense lawyers could present their witnesses.

"Other proof is not relevant in today's hearing, so I ask the
court to continue with the session," Andhi said.

The prosecutor's statement was protested by the lawyers.

"Compared to what we have done to present our witnesses, I
think the prosecutor should have done much better since his
witness lives in Bekasi, while we have had to go all the way to
Hong Kong," Soedjono said.

Judge Bhaedowie said that since the two parties had failed to
present witnesses, the prosecutor could precede with the sentence
request.

The decision was booed by onlookers who packed the room.

Yesterday's session had been postponed three times due to the
lawyer's absence, the prosecutor was not ready to read his
sentence request and the defendant's absence because of sickness.
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