Gang rape trial starts under heavy security
Gang rape trial starts under heavy security
JAKARTA (JP): The trials of 11 men charged with rape and
robbery of a mother and her teenage daughters in Bekasi last July
opened yesterday under tight security measures.
The men were tried in three separate trials in Bekasi, 30 km
southeast of here.
In one of the sessions, Bonen, Mamat and Deddy Setiawan were
charged by Prosecutor Baringin Udjung with gang rape and robbery
of the women. At another session Matali, Indra Wijayadi Saputra,
Aris Haryadi and Jamal were also accused of the same offenses by
Prosecutor R. Purba.
While Iwan Rejeki and Muhamad Ali were charged by Oemar Tohir
with rape and robbery, their accomplices Taman and Supriatna were
charged with robbery and possession of arms.
According to the indictments, the alleged rapists first robbed
the family of their jewelry by placing machetes against their
necks and then raped them.
The defendants, aged between 17 and 23 years old and mostly
unemployed, were arrested in August on charges of having robbed
the family and brutally raping the women and her two teenage
daughters in a small, isolated village in the Bekasi area.
The gang rape and robbery provoked public anger in the area,
and hundreds of well-wishers, including government officials and
human rights activists from Jakarta, expressed their sympathy to
the family.
To protect the defendants and the defense lawyers from public
outrage, the Prosecutor's Office arranged special security
measures with the police.
One hundred and twenty security officers, four police dogs
and a fire brigade unit were on guard at the trial, which took
place at the Civil Servants' Hall.
Every person entering the hall was searched by officers, who
held people's ID cards in exchange for a pass.
The officers only let 50 people enter the courtrooms to watch
each session, leaving hundreds of others outside.
The defendants were brought into the hall through back doors
under heavy guard. Unlike at the two pretrial sessions at the
Bekasi courthouse in August where angry mobs attacked the defense
lawyers, the public yesterday did not express anger.
The husband and father of the family, Acan, was also present
at the trials, moving from one room to another.
Reading the indictments, the prosecutors said that some of the
defendants not only raped Acan's wife but also his daughters,
while the rest only assaulted one of them.
The trials were adjourned until Thursday next week to give the
defense lawyers the opportunity to prepare their redress.(03)
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