Hearing into Mega insult postponed again

Hearing into Mega insult postponed again

Due to personal commitments, a South Jakarta District Court
judge postponed on Wednesday for the second time the hearing into
a criminal case involving a student accused of insulting
President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

Judge T.H. Tampubolon left the court without giving prior
notice to waiting defendant Kiastomo, prosecutor Adnan and court
clerk Marsunu.

On Monday, the judge also postponed the hearing because he had
to attend a funeral.

Wednesday's session was supposed to hear the judge's decision
into whether or not the court would continue the trial, which is
the second under Megawati's administration.

The case revolves around the burning of a paper-and-bamboo
puppet which was fashioned as an image of Megawati.

According to Kiastomo's lawyer, Nila, the act was held on July
26 inside the compound of the Institute of Social and Political
Sciences in South Jakarta, as part of a performance designed to
lighten a student gathering on evaluating the government.

Kiastomo is accused of igniting the fire and therefore the
offense, under Article 134 of the Criminal Code, of insulting the
president. The article carries a maximum penalty of six years'
imprisonment.-- JP