Iwik says police forced him to confess to Udin's murder

YOGYAKARTA (JP): D.S. alias Iwik told the Bantul District Court yesterday police forced him into admitting that he killed journalist Fuad M. Syafruddin in August last year.

Iwik retracted yesterday his previous admission, and said he had never even met the journalist. Instead, he identified Sgt. Major Edy Wuryanto as an officer who prepared a "scenario" casting him as the killer.

"I was forced to admit killing Udin (the journalist). I was told that I would be tortured and killed if I refused," Iwik said.

Iwik also said the reason he was forced into admitting the murder was to protect Bantul Regent Sri Roso Soedarmo.

In the trial presided over by Judge Endang Sri Murwati and attended by two members of the National Commission on Human Rights, Koesparmono Irsan and Djoko Soegiarto, Iwik said Edy, who then used the name Franky, told him it would be better to admit to the murder rather than be shot by police.

Edy or Franky first approached Iwik on Sept. 15, one month after the journalist's death. On Oct. 20, 1996, Edy forced Iwik to go with him to Parangtritis beach resort, forced him to drink alcohol and put him in a room with a prostitute.

Edy offered Iwik money, a better job and protection if he admitted killing Udin. He also allegedly provided Iwik with a set of clothes that Iwik had to admit were the ones he wore during the murder.

Iwik was also taken to meet three "bosses" who promised him wealth and protection. "Later on I found out that the second boss was actually Lt. Col. Ade Subardan (the chief of Bantul police precinct last year)," Iwik said.

Scared and confused, Iwik admitted the murder to the Yogyakarta Police Chief Col. Moelyono Soelaeman.

"Besides, during my detention, Sgt. Major Edy always terrorized me and told me that if I retracted my confession, he'd have me killed and my nails pulled out," Iwik said.

According to Iwik, police investigators did not tell him that he was entitled to a lawyer.

"Only on the third day of my detention did I build enough courage to retract my earlier confession," Iwik said.

The panel of judges gave chief prosecutor Amrin Naim two weeks to prepare his sentence demand. The court was adjourned until Nov. 3.

The journalist, better known as Udin, was attacked by a person or a group of unidentified people on Aug. 13 at his home in Bantul. Udin, known for his critical reporting of the Bantul regency policies, died three days later.

The main witness in the case, Udin's wife Marsiyem, had said that Iwik did not assault Udin.

Since the beginning, the investigation into the case has been marred by irregularities. At one stage, for instance, when Edy Wuryanto appeared in court it was discovered that he had been tampering with some of the evidence, namely a sample of Udin's blood. (23/swe)