Five more testify in Kramatdjati driver trial

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Five more witnesses testified in the trial of a Kramatdjati driver charged with causing the deaths of 31 people who were incinerated inside the bus he was driving. The witnesses told the Bogor District Court that the driver was driving recklessly.

The witnesses were S. Wijono, Kasworo, Suharto, Indah Wahyuni and Ridwan Silalahi, all policemen at the Jakarta Metropolitan Police headquarters, who were passengers of three stationary cars the bus rammed into.

The session took place on Thursday.

According to the indictment, defendant Ag. bin Yacob swallowed barbiturate pills before driving out of the Kampung Rambutan terminal in East Jakarta for Bandung when the horrendous accident took place on the Jagorawi toll road last March 23.

During their testimonies the witnesses stated they were heading for Puncak, traveling in a convoy of 10 cars divided into two groups. The first group, a Zebra Daihatsu minivan, Toyota Cressida sedan and a Toyota softtop, had pulled over onto the shoulder of the road to fill the radiator of the minivan which had overheated.

"After filling the radiator, I got inside and was starting the car when the accident happened," stated Indah Wahyuni, who was driving the minivan. "I was trapped inside my car until friends from the next group came to rescue me," she added.

Ridwan, who claims to have witnessed the entire accident, said though there were no vehicles in front of the bus, it suddenly swerved to the left of the toll road at high speed before hitting the rear of the jeep, which hit the sedan which in turn slammed into the minivan.

"The bus driver was reckless and negligent when he tried to escape. I caught him, handed him over to one of my friends, also a policeman, and continued to help my other friends," said Ridwan, adding that at the time of capture, the driver seemed dazed.

The defendant denied trying to escape, claiming he was "checking the car in front of the bus". Other witnesses said that following the accident, the driver was nowhere to be seen. "I saw the driver only after he had been handcuffed," stated Indah.

What caused the fire is still a mystery. None of the five witnesses saw where it came from. "I didn't know where the fire started from when I saw the bus burst into flames," stated Wijono. "When the fire began, I did not see it since I was busy assisting my friends," added Ridwan.

After hearing the testimony, Judge Usman Wahab adjourned the trial until Monday when the testimony of other witnesses will be heard. (21/25)