Journalist died in accident: Military

Journalist died in accident: Military

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): The military said yesterday
a traffic accident was the cause of the recent death of
journalist Muhammad Sayuti Haji Buchori, better known as Sanrego.

Wirabuana regional military commander Maj. Gen. Agum Gumelar
said Sayuti's death "had nothing to do" with his investigative
reporting on corruption in Luwu subdistrict, details of which was
published in the latest edition of the Pos Makassar weekly.

"It was a pure accident. Don't believe the theories that he
was killed because of his news reports," Agum said at a press
conference.

Also present at the briefing were provincial police chief
Brig. Gen. Ali Hanafiah and several local military and police
officers.

The South Sulawesi chapter of the Indonesian Journalists
Association, sensing something fishy in the reporter's death, has
formed its own fact-finding team to investigate the case.

Sayuti was found unconscious on Jl. Garuda in Luwu at about
midday June 9. The police said they had witnesses who saw him
fall off his motorbike while he was trying to avoid colliding
with a truck.

The deceased's relatives said they found head and neck wound,
which suggested that the reporter might have been beaten up.

Apparently unsatisfied with the authorities' explanation, Pos
Makassar has referred the case to a lawyer, A. Rudiyanto Asapa,
who will team up with lawyers of the Indonesian Legal Aid
Institute to probe further. (37/pan)