Officers rebute testimony in Tanah Abang case

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)