Justice is upheld

Justice is upheld

BANDAR LAMPUNG, Lampung: A longstanding trial against a man charged with taking part in a riot six years ago resumed at the Tanjungkarang District Court only to hear that the government prosecutors were dropping all charges.

The trial against Mulyadi bin Jaimo was postponed several times because the defendant, who was not under detention, had moved without leaving a forwarding address.

Mulyadi was accused of taking part in the activities of a Moslem extremist organization called the Warsidi group. Many of the group's leaders and members have already been convicted and jailed following a military raid on its headquarters in Way Jepara in the Lampung Tengah regency.

The trial against Mulyadi was stopped when he disappeared and his dossier was left pending, until the authorities discovered his whereabouts last month at an address in Jakarta.

He was summoned to appear before the court on Tuesday.

Chief prosecutor Syafri Satri concluded in his summation that there was no evidence whatsoever to link Mulyadi with the Warsidi group based on the testimony of 15 people.

Syafri said he was dropping the charges. (emb)