Human rights court orders trial to continue for senior officers
Human rights court orders trial to continue for senior officers
Andi Hajramurni, Makassar
A panel of judges dismissed on Monday defense pleas by two senior
police officers charged with human rights abuses in Papua, ruling
that their ad hoc rights trials must continue in Makassar, South
Sulawesi.
The charges laid by prosecutors against the two defendants --
Mobile Brigade deputy chief Brig. Gen. Johny Wainal Usman and
Papua Police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Daud Sihombing -- are
complete and accurate, the judges said.
The judges said the charges complied with "formal and material
conditions" as regulated in Article 153 (2a) of the Criminal Code
Procedures.
"Therefore, the pleas presented by the defendants and their
lawyers cannot be accepted and we declare that the trials will
continue," presiding judge Jalaluddin Amin said.
He said the court would summon at least 98 witnesses to
testify for or against, Johny, 49, and Sihombing, 45.
Lawyers for the two defendants said they would appeal the
ruling.
The two police officers could face jail terms of 25 years to
life if found guilty of rights abuses.
Last month, prosecutors told the Makassar court that Johny and
Sihombing were guilty of violating articles 39 and 42 of Law No.
26/2000 on human rights.
The two failed to prevent their subordinates from committing
rights violations, according to prosecutors.
Neither did they hand over their subordinates to the
authorities for investigation and prosecution.
The alleged abuses took place on Dec. 7, 2000, in Abepura,
about 20 kilometers south of the Papua capital Jayapura. They
were triggered when 30 residents armed with sharp weapons
attacked and set fire to the Abepura Police station at about 1:30
a.m.
Sgt. Petrus Eppa was killed and three other policemen were
injured in the incident. In a separate attack on the Irian Jaya
Autonomy office in Abepura, a security officer, identified as
Markus Padama, was killed.
About an hour later at 2:30 a.m., the Abepura Police, assisted
by the Jayapura Mobile Brigade, began a search for the
perpetrators of the attacks, scouring nearby residential areas
and hostels, including a student residence.
During the search, police allegedly arrested, assaulted and
tortured at least 99 residents suspected of having been involved
in the attack, resulting in three deaths. Elkuis Suhunaib, 18,
reportedly died during the search while Johny Karunggu, 18, and
Orry Doronggi, 17, allegedly were tortured to death.
At the time of the incident, Johny was the commander of the
Jayapura Mobile Brigade and Sihombing was the local police chief.