Prosecutor says two defendants should go free

JAKARTA (JP): A state prosecutor told the Central Jakarta District Court yesterday that all charges against two defendants should be dropped because they were not involved in the July 27 riot.

Prosecutor J. Kamaru told the panel of judges that Joko Sukarno and Firzen Saleh had not ignored a police order to leave Indonesian Democratic Party's headquarters. The order was issued so another group of PDI members could take over.

The police ordered supporters of Megawati Soekarnoputri, the ousted PDI chairwoman, who were occupying the building, to disperse because a group of Soerjadi supporters were ready to take over the building. Soerjadi is the officially-backed PDI chairman.

The takeover sparked bloody riots which killed five people, injured 149 and left 23 missing. Several buildings were burnt and damaged.

Altogether 124 Megawati loyalists are being tried in court for their alleged involvement.

The prosecutor said when the police entered the PDI headquarters on July 27 defendant Joko was losing consciousness so was not aware of what was taking place.

"According to testimony by many witnesses Joko had even fainted before the police issued the order to disperse. He lost consciousness after he had been seriously stoned in the head, belly and legs," Prosecutor Kamaru said.

Outside the courthouse, the defendant said witnesses told him police dragged him out of the building after he lost consciousness.

The prosecutor said the other defendant, Firzen Saleh, was not at the scene when the riot occurred.

"At that time he was in another place," Kamaru said.

Firzen said after the session he was at a coffee stall near the PDI's headquarters, when officers nabbed him.

Prosecutor Kamaru also asked the court to sentence 10 of the 37 defendants to four months and two weeks jail because they were guilty of damaging buildings and harming innocent people.

Yesterday, 39 defendants were tried in three separate sessions on charges of taking part in the riot.

In another hearing, judge Sartono rejected the defense lawyer's request to drop all charges against 12 defendants because they were not guilty of assaulting people or damaging properties.

"It is your interpretation, but ours could be different," the judge said.

The judge adjourned the hearing until Monday. (05)