Defendants in Trisakti case plead not guilty

Defendants in Trisakti case plead not guilty

JAKARTA (JP): Defense lawyers in the Trisakti University
shooting case insisted yesterday that prosecutors had failed to
prove that an order to shoot into the crowd given by the
defendants was an "indisciplinary act".

They therefore demanded that the military tribunal drop the
charges against Company Commander First Lt. Agus Tri Heryanto and
Platoon Commander Second Lt. Pariyo, both from the Jakarta Police
Mobile Brigade.

The defendants were charged with indiscipline under Article
103 of the Military Penal Code. The charges carry a maximum
sentence of two years and four months in prison.

The head of the team of defense lawyers, Adnan Buyung
Nasution, said the prosecutors' case had been badly prepared and
the charges could not be proven.

Four Trisakti University student demonstrators were killed
when security officers shot into the crowd outside the
university's campus on May 12. The incident triggered massive
rioting in several major cities across the country.

"It is stated clearly in the indictment that police only used
blank cartridges, rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse the
crowd. Why then have the defendants been linked with the deaths
of the four Trisakti students when it has been confirmed that
they were killed by live rounds of ammunition?" Buyung said.

Although the indictment was later revised it still contained a
second flaw, he argued, namely that the defendants were charged
with violating their superior's orders while in fact the accused
had given the order to open fire on their own initiative.

Defense lawyers also reiterated that the trial had so far not
looked into who actually killed the four students.

"Odd things have occurred. For instance, why was the body of
victim Heri Hartanto dug up after the trial was already in
process?

"Why only then did the investigators conduct an autopsy and
search for bullets to match against weapons and find the real
killers, whom they believe were subordinated to these two
officers?" Buyung said.

Defense lawyer Rudy Lontoh also questioned why the court did
not consider the testimony of Maj. Bayu from the police
information department, who said that unidentified troops were
involved in the shooting.

First Lt. Agus and Second Lt. Pariyo, both from the city
police Mobile Brigade, read out their own personal defense.

They said their subordinates were not responsible for killing
the four students because they were not armed with live
ammunition.

"I'm terribly depressed because people believe we are
responsible for the death of the student.

"People have condemned us as killers. I tell you Your
Honor... it hurts. I was doing the best I could and still I stand
accused. What about the others who did not follow the rules but
have not been taken to court?" Agus said. (edt)