Police trial opens for Tasikmalaya riot
Police trial opens for Tasikmalaya riot
BANDUNG (JP): The trial of four former police officers whose
alleged mistreatment of a local Moslem teacher caused the Dec. 26
fatal riot in Tasikmalaya, West Java, began yesterday.
The four -- Nursamsi, a 37-year-old police chief corporal,
Agus Yulianto, Dedi Haerudin, and Agus Martadinata, all 23-year-
old police second sergeants -- were dishonorably discharged from
the force early last month.
The former officers were being tried at the Priangan II-09
military tribunal. Military prosecutor Col. CHK Ismail Bangun
accused the four of mistreating Mahmud Farid, the principal of
Pesantren (Islamic boarding school) Riyadul Ulum Wadda'wah, and
two students: Endang Rachmat and Abdul Rachman, at the
Tasikmalaya police precinct on Dec. 23.
The abuse triggered public anger, which led to the Dec. 26
rioting that killed four and left dozens of buildings, including
churches and a Buddhist temple, burned or damaged. The vandalism
caused an estimated Rp 84 billion worth of damage.
The four suspects stood at the ready as they listened to the
charges being read out. They were represented by two lawyers from
West Java police.
It was revealed in court that Nursamsi first reported to his
superior, Second Lt. Kurnia Zaenal, that his teenaged son
Muhammad Riza, who is a student in the boarding school, had been
hit by two seniors, Habib Hamdani Ali and Ichsan, for stealing
money.
Nursamsi then summoned Mahmud Farid to the police station,
where Nursamsi and his colleagues beat up Makmud Farid and two
students who accompanied him, then stripped and forced them to do
squat jumps.
Mahmud Farid and his students later sought medical treatment
at the Tasikmalaya Public Hospital where H. Tata Rachman, the
head of the emergency unit, treated them for bad bruising all
over their bodies.
The prosecution said Nursamsi and his colleagues violated
articles 351 and 352 of the Criminal Code. The prosecution will
present eight witnesses at the trial.
Judge Col. CHK Pakpahan adjourned the trial until tomorrow.
Nursamsi and his colleagues were dismissed in a ceremony led
by West Java Police Chief Maj. Gen. Nana Permana who removed
their insignias and uniforms.
According to the official dismissal letter, the four officers
had violated officers' discipline in doing their jobs, with an
error that led to the riot.
In a separate process, four civilians have been named suspects
in the riot. Head of the West Java Prosecutor's Office, M.
Adenan, said early last week that four people -- identified only
as AGS, 24, AM, 24, MH, 24 and AF, 25 -- might be charged with
subversion for instigating the riot.
Under Indonesian law, subversion is punishable by death.
(ahy/swe)