JP/3/BASUKI

Basuki's killer gets 15 years

JAKARTA (JP): Amiruddin, alias Nanda, a 23-year-old former Metromini bus conductor on trial for murdering noted painter Basuki Abdullah, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by a district court Saturday.

Presiding Judge Moegihardjo of the South Jakarta district court announced that Amiruddin was found guilty of robbing and killing the late painter in the early morning of Nov. 5, 1993.

"What implicated the defendant is that his victim is a maestro of painting, whose reputation is recognized not only locally but also regionally and even internationally.

"Besides, the defendant is a recidivist, and he showed no remorse," Moegihardjo said while reading the verdict.

The sentence is five years less than that demanded by prosecutor Sadjidi, who was substituted for over the weekend by prosecutor Agus Sutoto.

According to the indictment, Nanda plotted to rob the painter's house with his three friends: Wahyudi, Abdul Mukti and Tetap Sembiring. The first two are now being tried separately in the same court. Sembiring, who disappeared shortly after the crime, remains at large.

The four planned the robbery at Wahyudi's house on Jl. Langsat I on the morning of Nov. 4. Wahyudi, who was then Basuki's gardener, drew the lay-out of the painter's home and later gave it to Nanda, who executed the plot at midnight.

After striking Basuki down with a rifle belonging to the painter and pilfering a collection of wristwatches and cash to the tune of Rp 200,000 (US$95), Nanda returned to Wahyudi's house on Jl. Langsat where his friends were waiting for him.

On the morning on Nov. 5, Basuki was found dead by one of his maids, lying flat on the carpeted floor of his private room with blood oozing from the back of his head.

During earlier hearings, the defendants' lawyers from the Generasi Muda Indonesia legal aid foundation had pleaded that the court acquit their clients of all charges because the prosecutor's allegations were not supported by hard evidence.

The defendants' lawyers said in their statements that all evidence presented to the court by the prosecutor failed to prove conclusively that Nanda was indeed the one who committed the robbery.

The statement said none of the 12 witnesses called by the prosecutor truly knew what had transpired on the morning of the murder.

Thus, the defense lawyers claimed that the testimony of all 12 witnesses should be declared null and void.

But Presiding Judge Moegihardjo declared that this analysis was flawed, as it failed to consider the defendant's confession before the court.

"When he gave his confession before the court, he was free from any intimidation or agitation. For this reason, we can use it as prime evidence, in addition to testimony offered by witnesses," Moegihardjo stated.

Throughout yesterday's session, Nanda kept his head bent deferentially to the floor. When asked if he could accept the verdict, he remained silent and then wept openly.

After consulting with his lawyers, Nanda said he needed more time to consider whether he would appeal to the high court. (11)