Experts question 'Tempo' case

Experts question 'Tempo' case

JAKARTA: The prosecution of two separate criminal cases after
a mob attacked the Tempo magazine headquarters was strange, legal
experts said on Wednesday.

The two defendants, Hidayat Lukman and David Tjioe, were
allegedly part of a mob that attacked the magazine's headquarters
after it carried a negative article on businessman Tomy Winata.

"The cases of Hidayat Lukman and David Tjioe should not have
been split. Their actions were part of a continuous event, not a
separate one. It's not common for prosecutors to split this kind
of offense," A.Y. Day, a retired prosecutor, told a public
discussion.

A district court here last year later convicted Hidayat but
acquitted David of all charges after prosecutors split up their
trials.

Sharing Day's view were former Attorney General deputy
Antonius Sudjata, legal expert Rudy Satrio Mukantardjo as well as
lawyers Ari W. Hartanto and Hidayat Achyar. -- JP