Police release Fuad Syafrudin's suspected killer

Police release Fuad Syafrudin's suspected killer

YOGYAKARTA (JP): Police released yesterday Dwi Sumaji alias
Iwik, the suspected killer of journalist Fuad Muhammad
Syafruddin, to the surprise of his lawyers whose previous
requests for the move had repeatedly been rejected.

But he retains his status as the suspect in the highly
publicized case.

Dwi, whose arrest on Oct. 21 sparked criticism because police
allegedly violated procedures, left Yogyakarta police detention
center yesterday afternoon and was greeted by lawyers Triyandi
Mulkan, Djufri Taufik and Eko Widianto of the Yogyakarta Legal
Aid office. He was later reunited with his wife Sunarti and his
son.

"I thank Allah. I thank National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo
Widodo and my lawyers for this," he said. His extended detention
term will expire tomorrow.

Dwi will still have to report to the police every Monday and
Thursday.

Also yesterday, the Provincial Prosecutor's Office turned down
for the second time police dossiers on Dwi because it was still
incomplete.

Spokesman Soeparman said police need to add further data on
witnesses, the suspect's testimony and evidence. He said police
had 14 days to complete the document.

Soeparman declined to say whether the dossiers were rejected
because the police reconstruction of the murder failed to include
the main witness, Marsiyem, who is the journalist's widow, and so
was rendered legally defective.

The lawyers yesterday met with Yogyakarta Police Chief Col.
Mulyono Sulaiman to again ask, for the fifth time, that Dwi be
released because since Nov. 10, the beginning of second period of
his detention, police had not question him about the murder.

"Before long, the police chief said he would grant our
request. This was very surprising," Triyandi Mulkan said. "This
probably indicated that the police are changing their approach in
handling the case."

He also said the release and the prosecutors' decision to
return the dossiers on Dwi strengthened his belief that Dwi, a
driver at a local advertising firm, was innocent.

The lawyer said his office would still fight to have the
investigation on his client stopped altogether, and promised to
help the police find the real killer.

The murder of Fuad, better known as Udin, in August drew wide
press coverage because of alleged links to powerful local figures
and because the journalist was known for his critical reporting
of many local administration's policies.

The arrest of Dwi, however, drew even more controversy because
of some perceived oddities in the police procedures. Police, for
instance, took him first to a hotel and made him drink alcohol
until he passed out.

Police also reportedly offered the suspect wealth and a better
job if he admitted to killing the journalist.

The National Commission on Human Rights had earlier said the
arrest violated the suspect's rights. (23/swe)