Court receives perjury petition against Tomy

Court receives perjury petition against Tomy

Urip Hudiono, Jakarta

The Central Jakarta District Court received for consideration on
Monday a petition submitted by three Tempo magazine journalists
who are being sued for defamation by well-connected businessman
Tomy Winata.

The defendants have petitioned the court to indict Tomy of
perjury following strong indications that he had lied in his
court testimony.

They said their request was based on testimonies from Tempo
reporter Bernarda Rurit and telematics expert Roy Suryo that
confirmed the weekly had interviewed Tomy for its Is Tomy in
Tenabang? article in its March 3-9, 2003, edition, over which it
is being sued.

"Testimonies from Silvia Hasan, Tomy's secretary, and David A.
Miauw, an employee at Tomy's Bank Artha Graha, also confirmed
that the number called by Bernarda was indeed Tomy's cellular
phone number," Tempo chief editor Bambang Harymurti read from the
petition.

Bambang and journalists Ahmad Taufik and T. Iskandar have been
charged under the Criminal Code for defaming Tomy and instigating
public unrest through the article, which implicated Tomy in the
fire that razed Tanah Abang textile market on Feb. 19, 2003.

Bambang said a recording of the interview had been submitted
as evidence to the court, along with an original telephone record
from state telecommunications company PT Telkom. The phone
company had also verified that a 489-second phone call had been
made from Tempo to Tomy's cellular phone on Feb. 27, 2003.

Tomy has denied he was ever interviewed by the weekly and
demanded that the recording be studied and analyzed for
authenticity.

Bambang said the petition would be in line with Tomy's demand,
as "such a thorough investigation (of the recording) would only
be possible if the panel of judges orders state prosecutors to
indict Tomy Winata for perjury".

He explained that the petition was also being made to uphold
Tempo's credibility and the rule of law against any contempt of
court or obstruction of justice.

Article 147 of Court Procedures states that a presiding judge
may order the prosecution of a case witness who is suspected of
giving false testimony and adjourn the trial pending the
prosecution of the witness. Article 242 of the Criminal Code
states that anyone convicted of perjury faces a seven- to nine-
year sentence, depending on whether the false testimony causes
damage to a defendant.

Presiding judge Soeripto has adjourned the libel suit until
May 31.