New DNA evidence re-opens Marsinah rape-murder case

JAKARTA (JP): An Australian-based laboratory has jump-started the 1993 rape-murder case of female labor activist Marsinah as it had found out that the DNA in the blood found at the residence of a former primary defendant in the case matched that of the activist's.

"The DNA in the blood is identical to the DNA extracted from the late Marsinah. That in itself, reopens the case in full force," National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf told reporters on Wednesday.

Saleh declined to mention the name of the laboratory, saying that it would be made public should the case reach the courts.

"The laboratory results came in December last year. Accordingly, the police will take the necessary steps, which will most likely include the questioning of the former primary suspect," Saleh said.

Saleh was referring to Judi Susanto, director of an East Java- based watch-making factory and the alleged mastermind of the murder.

Judi was released in November 1994 after the East Java High Court overturned his conviction. He had been sentenced to 17 years, the stiffest jail term handed down in the case.

Marsinah was murdered after leading a strike at PT Catur Putra Surya, a watch-making factory in Sidoarjo, East Java. Her badly mutilated body was found on May 9, 1993, in an abandoned shack near Nganjuk, East Java.

A secretary at the company, Mutiari, who was sentenced to seven months in prison by Sidoarjo District Court for allegedly being an accessory to the murder, was also exonerated by the court. She was released from the Medaeng Prison in August 1994 after serving six months.

The other seven defendants, who were released by a Supreme Court ruling in May 1995, were also employees of the company: Yudi Astono (sentenced to four years in jail prior to being exonerated), Bambang Wuryantoyo (12 years), Widayat (12 years), A.S. Prayogi (12 years), Karyono Wongso (13 years), Soewono (12 years) and Soeprapto (12 years).

The nine suspects were freed not because they were innocent, but because the prosecution had been wrong from the beginning, then National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Erald Dotulong had said.

"The investigation of the entire case was never held inside a police station, and the case was always handled under the threat of violence from a certain party," Erald said earlier.

Erald said the investigation has, from the beginning, flouted the standard procedures required by Indonesian law, leading to the release of the nine suspects.

The East Java Police and the National Police have repeatedly set up special teams to investigate the killing, but to no avail.

Former National Police Chief Gen. Rusdihardjo also faulted the police early last year for not saving Marsinah, who he said was clinging to life when she was found.

"Marsinah shouldn't have died ... Some truck drivers saw her at night in the woods after she had been beaten," Rusdihardjo said in early January, last year.

"The truck drivers ran away, frightened by a 'ghost'. One officer contacted the Madiun Police. Precinct officers came ... took one look at her and thought she was mentally ill. They should have helped her. She was still alive."

"They threw her in the back of a Kijang van, driving her through remote areas to the Jombang police precinct. She died there, most likely of excessive blood loss."

Rusdihardjo earlier acknowledged that he was one of the investigating officers in the Marsinah case. He personally checked on the Porong Military District Command, which some have speculated was the site of Marsinah's rape and murder.

"There was too much blood everywhere. We were shocked. There was also an operational minivan. It was a box van. There was also blood on the seats."

East Java Military Commander Maj. Gen. Sudi Silalahi earlier affirmed that the military would not protect any of its members who were involved in the brutal 1993 murder.

"If we discover any military officers were involved in the murder, we'll summon and question them. We will not obstruct the investigation," Sudi had said. (ylt)