Defendant attacks judge with egg

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)