Defendant attacks judge with egg

BANDUNG, West Java (JP): A man charged with insulting President Soeharto whipped up a frenzy in the courtroom yesterday when he hurled an egg at the judge's face and then snatched his gavel.

While Judge Achmadi was reading reports of the evidence gathered against the defendant Coky Yahya Runasia Aritonang, Coky got up and pelted the judge with an egg that he had concealed under his shirt.

When the startled judge covered his grimacing face with his hands, the well-built, 31-year-old man snatched the gavel and threw it down angrily.

With tension boiling over, the two other judges, Sudijono and Simanjuntak, scrambled out of the courtroom after snatching the wooden name plates from their table, fearing that Coky might use them to assault Achmadi.

Coky, who also screamed obscenities at the judges, was finally overpowered by police officers called in by the judges, who then adjourned the session.

"Lies, lies, lies... all the charges are lies. This is a frame-up," Coky yelled, simmering with rage. He kicked the courtroom doors as the officers dragged him to a prison van waiting outside.

Yesterday marked the 14th session since his trial began in February. Coky is being tried for distributing leaflets in Bandung that insulted President Soeharto. (pet/pan)