Pollycarpus 'rarely sat during flight'

Pollycarpus 'rarely sat during flight'

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto, a key suspect in the murder
case of top human rights campaigner Munir, rarely sat in his seat
during the Sept. 6, 2004 flight from Jakarta to Singapore when
the arsenic that killed Munir was believed to have been given,
according to witnesses.

Tri Wiryaswadi, a Garuda flight attendant in the business
class section during the first leg of the flight, which would
eventually terminate in Amsterdam, testified that Pollycarpus
only sat in his seat, number 11B, during takeoff and landing.

"I saw Pollycarpus standing around the bar area twice and one
time he was standing in front of the restroom," Tri testified on
Tuesday during the trial of Pollycarpus at the Central Jakarta
District Court on Tuesday.

He added that Pollycarpus, a senior Garuda pilot -- but not
active during the flight -- was not in his seat when the food was
being served to business class passengers, including Munir. Tri
added that Pollycarpus was nowhere to be seen for nearly half of
the one-hour flight.

However, when chief judge Cicut Sutiarso asked Tri whether he
knew about Pollycarpus' activities when he was standing in the
bar area, Tri said that he had no idea.

Munir died on the Garuda flight on his way to the Netherlands.
A forensic investigation by the Dutch authorities found nearly
four times the lethal amount of arsenic in his stomach.

Pollycarpus has been accused by prosecutors of pouring arsenic
into a cup of juice served as a welcome drink to Munir during the
flight.

Another witness summoned on Tuesday to testify was Garuda crew
member Yeti Susmiyarti, who served Munir the welcome drink.

She confirmed Tri's testimony saying that she saw Pollycarpus
standing in the bar area.

"Pollycarpus was writing something when he was standing at the
bar, but I didn't know what he was writing," Yeti said.

Yeti admitted that she was the one who served beverages to
Munir who was seated in business class seat number 3K.

However, she said that she had a lot of beverages on her tray
including orange juice, apple juice and champagne, and she did
not encourage Munir to take any particular glass from her tray.

The tray contained eight to ten glasses, she said, and Munir
himself picked one glass and drank it.

As for Pollycarpus, Yeti said that she did not pay any
attention to him, therefore, she did not know whether he remained
seated during the flight or not.

Yeti and fellow Garuda crew member Oedi Irianto have also been
named suspects in the case.

The trial was adjourned until Tuesday to hear more witness
testimony.