Iwik to stand trial for murdering reporter

YOGYAKARTA (JP): A travel agent employee is to stand trial soon for allegedly murdering Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, a local journalist known for his critical articles.

The Bantul regency prosecutors' office submitted yesterday a dossier on Dwi Sumaji, alias Iwik, to the Bantul District Court. The court should soon set a date for the murder trial.

The Bantul prosecutors, led by Amrin Naim, accuse Sumaji of bashing Fuad with a 35-centimeter-long, cement-filled, iron bar.

Sumaji's brutal action led to Syafruddin's death, Amrin said in the dossier.

On the motive for murder, Amrin said Sumaji had bashed Syafruddin, known as Udin, after finding out that his wife, Sunarti, had been having an affair with the journalist at the Bernas daily.

Amrin bashed Fuad to force him to quit the affair, Amrin said.

Udin was murdered last August at his home in Bantul, just south of here. But the murder is widely believed to have been an assassination related to his reports on corruption at the Bantul administration.

The Yogyakarta prosecutor's office had rejected the police case against Sumaji four times, citing incomplete investigation. Every rejection caused further controversy, and gave observers grounds to doubt Iwik's involvement.

The investigation into Udin's murder has been marred by accusations of the police trying to cover up what really happened to silence local government critics.

Police have detained Sumadji since late last year. But many say they have the wrong man.

Police say they have undeniable forensic proof that the blood which stained Sumadji's T-shirt was Udin's.

On the dossier, Sumaji's lawyers said yesterday that they had long been preparing for the trial.

"We know that the Bantul prosecutors' office and the police are determined to bring this case to court.

"But we are optimistic that our client is not guilty and will soon be free," said Triyandi Mulkan who is leading Sumaji's lawyers.

Triyandi said his team had evidence that Sumaji had not hurt Fuad.

During the police's reconstruction of the murder Sumaji appeared to be confused and could not tell where the victim's house was, Triyandi said.

Triyandi said Iwik had been made to testify while he was drunk. He said his team of lawyers had several witnesses who would testify in favor of Sumaji.

"We are hiding them now for safety reasons. We will bring them to court when the time comes," he said.

Sumaji's defense team also includes Djufri Taufik, Eko Widiyanto and Adib Sujarwadi. (23/imn)