Gina's sisters, friend testify against Oki

JAKARTA (JP): The three sisters and a close friend of a young woman killed in the United States testified yesterday against the alleged killer at the Central Jakarta District Court.

The trial of the defendant, Harnoko Dewantono, alias Oki, heard the testimonies relating to the murder of Gina Sutan Aswar on Nov. 2, 1992.

The witnesses were Satifah Sutan Aswar, Mutia Ahimsa, Fadia Mulyadi and Gina's friend, Sarita Maulani.

Satifah, 40, said she last saw Gina on Nov. 2, 1992 in Paris when she saw Gina leaving for Los Angeles in the US, after they had stayed in the French capital for two weeks.

"Oki phoned Gina two days before to ask Gina to go to LA to meet him," said Satifah, one of Gina's sister.

"We lost contact with Gina for almost two years after that," Satifah said.

She was later told by an officer of the Los Angeles Police Department, Ted Ball, that the police had found a body of a mutilated man in a warehouse in LA.

"I was then told the still-confidential information that the LAPD suspected Oki as being the killer."

Both the second and third witnesses, Mutia Ahimsa, 36, and Fadia Mulyadi, 37, separately told the court that they were told by Satifah that Gina had died in late 1994.

Previously, they separately said Gina told them that in order to join Oki she needed US$200,000 to go to L.A. to complete a business investment.

"When she came and explained to me the benefit of the investment, I trusted her and invested $50,000 in mid May 1992," Mutia said.

According to Gina, Mutia said, Oki told her to look for an Indonesian investor who would be willing to invest that sum of money.

"I then recommended the offer to my friend, Ratwinto, who was willing to invest $100,000," she said.

"So Gina managed to raise US$190 thousand with her sisters and a friend as fellow investors, who trusted her," Mutia said.

Gina then transferred the money to LA. Mutia said the business, which she said was not really clear about, went well.

They received their profit share for three consecutive months, from July to September 1992, she said.

Yesterday's trial was the fifth trial of the triple murders committed in Los Angeles, U.S., at some point between 1992 and 1994. The other victims were Suresh Gobind, an Indian businessman, and Eri Triharto Dharmawan, Oki's younger brother.

The trial was adjourned until next Tuesday. (26)