Dossiers prepared for trial of film artist Ria Irawan
JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta High Prosecutor's Office will soon present the dossiers in the case of starlet Ria Irawan to determine whether she can be brought to court.
"After we received the dossiers for the second time from the police recently, we sent them directly to the City High Prosecutor's Office," chief of the South Jakarta Prosecutor's Office, T. Derikansyah, told The Jakarta Post and Republika here yesterday.
He said the presentation of the dossiers will be carried out by the city high prosecutor chief at his office.
"I do not know when it will be held, but we'll invite reporters to cover it," Derikansyah said.
The dossiers state that the 24-year-old actress violated at least two articles of the criminal code in connection with the death of a young businessman in her house.
Rifardi Soekarnoputra, 22, was found dead at the movie star's home in Lebak Bulus, South Jakarta, on Jan. 12.
Police said that Ria failed to report to the police the possession and use of illegal drugs by the deceased. She is also alleged to have disposed of vital material evidence that could have given clues to the death of the young married man.
When asked to comment on the presentation of the case by the prosecutors, a reliable police source who is close to the case said he welcomes the plan.
"It is no longer a new method to us," the source, who requested anonymity, said.
Such a presentation is normally designed to obtain detailed data of a case before the dossiers are handed over to the court, the source added.
"If the prosecutors then find discrepancies or irregularities on the dossiers during the presentation, then the prosecutors themselves who must complete or improve them as required by law," he said.
By law, if necessary, the prosecutors are allowed to question witnesses before sending the dossiers to the court for trial, he said.
"The prosecutors are even allowed to stop the indictment process if they find that the dossiers lack substantial legal elements," he said.
The source also explained that the South Jakarta prosecutor's office had returned the dossiers twice to the police, asking them to complete them.
"When they returned the dossiers for the second time to us, we sent them back without making any changes, as we believe we have already completed everything needed," he said.
"We are wondering why they didn't stop the indictment process as allowed by the law."
The source, however, strongly believes that Ria will be found guilty.
Ria, he said, has admitted that she knew the deceased consumed illegal drugs. She also admitted that she tampered with and disposed of substantial material evidence believed to have caused the death of Rifardi.
It will be the responsibility of the prosecutors whether or not to arraign her in court, he said.
Ria might face a one-year jail term or a maximum fine of Rp 1 million ($472) for failing to report Rifardi's possession and use of the illegal drugs to the police.
She may also face another maximum prison term of four years for allegedly destroying evidence which was believed to have caused Rifardi's death. (bsr)