Gufron no-show at Rusydan's trial

Gufron no-show at Rusydan's trial

JAKARTA: Prosecutors, again, failed to present a key witness
in Monday's hearing of the trial of Abu Rusydan at the South
Jakarta District Court without a clear reason.

Prosecutor Hendra Ruhendra claimed that Mukhlas, alias Ali
Gufron, who has been sentenced to death for his role in the Bali
bombing last year, could not appear because he was processing his
appeal with the Supreme Court. He proceeded by reading out the
dossier on Gufron.

The police confirmed on Sunday that Gufron was in Jakarta to
take the stand as a witness for the defendant, who is charged
with withholding evidence on terrorist activities.

Rusydan complained about Gufron's absence, saying: "I hope
that Ali Gufron can testify because his presence as a key witness
is very important in determining my future and that of my family
and the people who need me."

The defense lawyer, Achmad Michdan, objected to the dossier
and said the prosecutors must not be serious in the trial as they
had failed to present Gufron before the court.

Rusydan's last meeting with Gufron was in Tawang Mangu,
Surakarta, Central Java, in October 2002, five days after the
Bali bombings on Oct. 12, according to the dossier.

Law expert Loebby Loeqman, who took the stand as an expert
witness, said someone could be charged with concealing
information on a suspect's whereabouts only if the suspect was
already on the police's wanted list.

Presiding judge Mahmoud Rahimi adjourned the hearing until
Dec. 29, when two alleged JI members will testify. -- JP