Decision on Marsinah not final

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman said yesterday that the East Java high court's decision to free businessman Judi Susanto, the main suspect in the murder case of labor activist Marsinah, was not final.

"The prosecutors may appeal to the Supreme Court if they feel that the high court's decision to release Judi from all charges was unacceptable," Oetojo told reporters after meeting with President Soeharto.

Oetojo reported to the president at a recent international seminar on organized crime held in Milan, Italy. He also briefed the president about the implementation of the presidential decree regarding a salary raise for judges.

Oetojo declined to go into detail on the Marsinah affair, saying that it was the Supreme Court's authority to give comments.

"There are clear job descriptions for the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court," he said.

Judi Susanto, who was sentenced to 17 years imprisonment by the Surabaya district court last June, has been cleared of all charges of killing Marsinah by the East Java high court.

The high court argued he was free of all charges due to a lack of legal reasons to throw him behind bars for the death of the labor activist.

The Surabaya prosecutor's office has reportedly appealed the controversial decision to the Supreme Court.

Marsinah was found dead after leading a workers' strike at PT Catur Putra Surya, a watch-making factory in Sidoarjo, East Java, that was owned by Judi.

Marsinah's badly mutilated body was later found on May 9, 1993, in an abandoned shack near Nganjuk in East Java.

Besides Judi eight others were imprisoned by the District Court for their involvement in the murder.

All of the nine people convicted for the murder of Marsinah have maintained their innocence. The nine were executives and staff members of the watch-making company.(imn)