Man tried for 'selling' wife

Man tried for 'selling' wife

JAKARTA (JP): A man was arraigned at the South Jakarta District Court yesterday for allegedly selling his wife to a pimp who later employed her as a prostitute.

Yudi Hariadi Sutikno is charged with "selling" his wife, Rini Sundari, to a woman named Yuni Saputra, who is believed to have prostituted Rini at her house on Jl. Lembah Cireundeuy Permai, South Jakarta.

Judge Doris A.A. Taulo of South Jakarta District Court yesterday inspected the house which was once owned by Yuni.

According to prosecutor Esther Datu Rante, Rini was employed by Yuni from 1987 to 1990. From 1993 until early 1994 she worked for Hartono Setyawan, a notorious panderer who ran a brothel on Jl. Prapanca 4, South Jakarta.

Hartono was sentenced to nine months imprisonment in December by the same court.

During the site inspection, Rini told judge Doris that it is true that she stayed at Yuni's house for about two or three months and was employed as a call girl by her former 'boss', Yuni.

She also said that it was Yuni who used to drive her to her "appointments".

During yesterday's trial session Yuni denied being a panderer.

Her denial was contradictory to her testimony at a police station in August last year, when she admitted that she employed Rini as a call girl and took Rp 100,000 from every Rp 300,000 received by Rini.

The site inspection was almost canceled because the current owner of the house was never contacted nor informed by the prosecutor's office about the court's inspection plan.

However, Indrayana, the current owner and occupant of the house since 1991, accepted judge Doris's explanation as to the purpose of the visit.

The judge adjourned the trial until Feb. 1 to give prosecutor Esther ample time to arrange her sentencing request for Yudi. (mas)