Officers rebute testimony in Tanah Abang case

JAKARTA (JP): Five police officers, who testified at the trial of the Tanah Abang riot case, contradicted yesterday their own statements in dossiers submitted by police interrogators, lawyers said.

Dozens of people, including those believed to be vendors at Tanah Abang market in Central Jakarta, attacked public buildings and set fire to Tanah Abang district office on Jan. 27, after they heard rumors that one of their friends was hit by a public order official's car.

Standing trial at Central Jakarta District Court are Yafrizal, 23, Ade Komarudin, 23, and Ari Yanto, 20. All were vendors from the market and are charged with deliberately injuring other people and causing damage to public buildings.

Four other defendants, also vendors, are on trial in a separate session at the same courthouse. They were all arrested on Jan. 27 during the riot.

All the police witnesses told the court that they had only arrested one suspect, but each of them identified a different man among the three defendants.

In police dossiers the officers said they saw all of the defendants committing the crimes and still recognized them.

One of the witnesses, Sergeant Sapri, even confessed yesterday that he had never seen any of the defendants before. "I recognize them because I saw them at the police precinct, not at Tanah Abang market," he said.

Sgt. Deni of the same precinct admitted the riot situation was so chaotic that it made it difficult for him to recognize the defendants. He said there were cars and buildings set ablaze.

"I only saw some of the defendants in the midst of a cloud of smoke and an angry mob. Since it happened long ago it's hard for me to remember the details," he said.

The testimony which differed from statements in their dossiers made one of the judges, Alboin Sianipar, a bit annoyed.

"Just tell us exactly what you know or saw at the scene. If you're not sure what had happened and who was involved, just tell us you don't remember. I don't want you to cover it up or tell lies," he told witness Sgt. Cucu Setia Atmaja.

All witnesses also admitted they had no knowledge of what caused the riot.

"I only heard rumors that one of the vendors had been hit or attacked by public order officials. We never investigated the cause of the riot," said Panimo, another police officer who was a witness.

The judges adjourned the hearing until next week to hear the testimonies of employees from Tanah Abang district office, which was burned in the riot. (12)