Main witness absent at murder reconstruction

Main witness absent at murder reconstruction

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Marsiyem, wife of slain journalist Fuad
Muhammad Syafruddin and the main witness in the investigation
into his murder, was too ill to attend yesterday a police
reconstruction of the murder.

Her lawyer Budi Hartono of the Yogyakarta legal aid office was
quoted by Antara as saying that Marsiyem was suffering from
depression and that psychiatrist R. Soemardi Prawirodi, who
examined her Sunday, had ordered her to hospital for a week for
treatment.

"She must rest and not see visitors for some time so she can
recover, both physically and psychologically," Budi quoted the
doctor as saying.

Budi said her absence from the reconstruction rendered the
procedure legally defective. He spoke to the press before the
reconstruction took place.

Marsiyem opened the door of her house to a man asking for her
husband, better known as Udin, on Aug. 13 at 10.30 p.m. After
letting him in she went to the back of the house only to hear
Udin scream for help minutes later.

The journalist, known for his critical reporting on the
Yogyakarta and Bantul regency administration policies, died three
days later without regaining consciousness. The murder has had
wide media coverage because of a number of reported oddities in
the police investigation procedure.

Budi, and Marsiyem's other lawyers, attended the
reconstruction because Sujarah, also a legal aid office client
and one of the witnesses, took part in the procedure.

D.S., the suspected killer whose arrest has attracted harsh
criticism from the public because of reported violations in the
procedure, was accompanied to the reconstruction by his lawyer
Eko Widianto.

Police first held a reconstruction on Nov. 16, without
Marsiyem or D.S. Following public outcry the police planned yet
another reconstruction, for Nov. 29, but called it off without
explanation.

Yogyakarta police carried out the reconstruction because their
dossier on the suspected killer was rejected for being incomplete
by the provincial prosecutors office. (23/swe)