Police undecided whether to release Anas on bail

JAKARTA (JP): City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman said on Friday that police had yet to make a decision on whether to release Anas Allamoedi on bail.

Anas has been in detention since driving his car through a cordon of troops on Jl. Imam Bonjol in Central Jakarta and injuring nine soldiers on Nov. 11.

Noegroho told reporters that lawyers had submitted a request to bail Anas on Monday, but said he had yet to discuss the matter with his staff.

"I've read it but just wait... I'll give you a surprise about that," Noegroho said without elaboration.

A lawyer acting on behalf of Anas, Apong Herlina from the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation, said the police should have released Anas because he has fulfilled all the necessary conditions.

"First he (Anas) has a clear identity and a complete address. He will not run away or destroy any evidence, which has already been confiscated, and he's been cooperative when questioned," Apong told The Jakarta Post.

Apong also said that his client, who is a student at the University of Indonesia's School of Law, needs to attend his lectures.

Anas was detained after his red VW Safari car ran through a cordon of troops set up to prevent student protesters from marching toward the People's Consultative Assembly building. Nine soldiers were injured.

Anas was reportedly facing a charge of attempted murder under of Article 338 of the Criminal Code, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment. He was also going to be charged under Article 351 on grievous bodily harm, which carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment, and Article 360 on carelessness causing injury to others, which also carries a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment.

It therefore came as a surprise when Noegroho announced that Anas would only be charged with a traffic offense.

"We will charge him with bad driving," Noegroho said, refusing to give further details.

Nevertheless, Apong said that if more serious charges were brought against his client, he would defend him by claiming self- defense under Article 49 of the Criminal Code.

"Article 49 allows people who were in a panic to be freed from any criminal charges," he said, adding that Anas told him that he panicked after soldiers began to beat his car with rattan sticks. (emf)