Iedfil demands his name be cleared

BOGOR (JP): The Bogor District Court Saturday continued the pretrial of Iedfil Jaya Anwar, who filed a law suit against the Bogor regional police office.

Iedfil accused the police of illegally arresting him following his appearance in court on May 21, as a witness in the trial of Mikel and Hendrik, who were charged with being accessories to last year's toll road murder and robbery.

Iedfil demanded the police clear his name and pay a Rp 1 million (US$409) indemnity.

His lawyers Sholeh Amin and Jopie Gilalo said the arrest was groundless and illegitimate because it was conducted after police had officially closed the investigation.

Iedfil, the owner of Zodiak discotheque in Gadog, Bogor, was first believed to be the mastermind of the murder and robbery on the Jagorawi toll road on Oct. 11, 1996, which claimed the life of businessman Zainudin Lesmana.

Iedfil was in police custody in January. But the prosecutors' office freed him in late April because there was no evidence to indict him as Mikel withdrew his statement during the office's additional interrogation.

Judge A. Saragih Simarmata adjourned the pretrial until today. (24/cst)