Edy should be tried in Yogyakarta: LBH

Edy should be tried in Yogyakarta: LBH

YOGYAKARTA: The Yogyakarta chapter of the Legal Aid Institute
(LBH) reiterated its request here on Sunday that Second Adj.
Insp. Edy Wuryanto, a police officer accused of destroying
evidence in the case of slain reporter Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin
alias Udin in 1996, be tried at the Yogyakarta Military Tribunal.

A. Budi Hartono, spokesman for the LBH Yogyakarta, said in a
statement that Edy, who had been transferred from Yogyakarta
Police headquarters to the National Police Headquarters in
Jakarta soon after he allegedly discarded the victim's blood
sample, should be tried in Yogyakarta, not in Jakarta.

LBH argued that the Udin's murder and Edy's alleged offense
took place in Yogyakarta, before the latter was transferred to
Jakarta.

As reported earlier, Edy allegedly took the blood sample from
the Bantul public hospital, where the victim was treated after
being attacked by two unidentified men in front of his residence
in Bantul. The blood was supposed to be examined at the police
laboratory.

The attack was believed to be linked to the Bernas daily
reporter's articles on the reelection of the Bantul regent, which
were spiced with collusion, corruption and nepotistic practices.

Budi said that the National Police Headquarters had been so
protective toward Edy that the later was quietly transferred to
Jakarta without giving any notice to the Supreme Court.(sur)