Defendant's wife says she knew of bomb plan

JAKARTA (JP): A witness in the January bombing case of the Ramayana Department Store on Jl. Sabang, Central Jakarta, testified before the Central Jakarta District Court on Friday that she saw two gang members assembling a bomb in a meeting at the end of last year.

Conny Maria Mamahit, wife of second defendant Yan Pieterson Manussama, said in a written statement that she accompanied her husband in the meeting, attended by first defendant Rosalina Handayani and two suspects in the bomb blast. The meeting was held in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

She said she asked the two suspects -- Andi and Willie -- whether they were assembling a bomb.

"Is that a bomb?" she said, as quoted by prosecutor Tonny Sinai, who read out her written testimony in the trial presided over by Judge Endang Sumarsih.

Andi allegedly replied with a laugh, "Yes, it is a bomb."

Conny said she asked Rosalina the purpose for making the bomb. "And Rosalina told me that the bomb would be used to blast a building on Jl. Sabang," she said.

The witness said she saw the two suspects fixing the bomb components and connecting them with cables.

She said she was shocked by Andi's reply and immediately went out to her car.

"I did not know about the result of the meeting," she said.

Conny said she had also accompanied Yan Pieterson in an earlier meeting at the Sheraton hotel in Central Jakarta, which was also attended by the same people.

The witness said she did not join the group's discussion during the Sheraton meeting, held prior to the Kelapa Gading meeting.

First defendant Rosalina denied the witness' testimony and told the judges after listening to Conny's written statement that Conny did not speak to her nor to Andi And Willie. Meanwhile, Yan Pieterson said that his wife had told the truth.

Friday's court session also heard the written testimony of another witness, Bambang Indriawan.

Bambang, an employee at Bank Intan, confirmed that PT Technodev had applied for a loan of Rp 14 billion (US$1.75 million) for the appropriation of a property on Jl. Sabang. The Ramayana department store building, the target of the bomb blast, stood on the property.

Bank Intan approved the loan after a foundation established by employees of state Bank Dagang Negara handed in a deposit worth Rp 14.1 billion and a BMW sedan.

First defendant Rosalina was the director of PT Technodev.

Judge Endang Sumarsih adjourned the trial until Aug. 23, to hear the testimonies of the defendants, who are charged with masterminding the bomb blast. The Jan. 3 bombing was allegedly carried out by a gang led by Amir Hamzah. Amir is still at large. (asa)