Prosecutors drop charges against Ria Irawan

Prosecutors drop charges against Ria Irawan

JAKARTA (JP): Due to a lack of substantial evidence, the
Jakarta Prosecutor's Office has dropped the case against starlet
Ria Irawan, 24, who was accused of having hampered police
investigations of the death of her ex-boyfriend in January.

"We have reviewed the dossiers presented by police and the
results of investigation from a team of prosecutors, and decided
that there is not enough evidence to bring Ria Irawan to court,"
said Suyoto, head of the Jakarta Prosecutor's Office.

Suyoto told reporters yesterday that a team he chaired had
thoroughly reviewed the dossiers presented by police and also
questioned 10 people in connection with the case.

"We found no compelling reason to charge Ria as there was no
criminal activity involved in the young man's death. Therefore we
have dropped all charges against her," Suyoto said.

Rifardi Sukarnoputera, 22, businessman and ex-boyfriend of the
movie star, was found dead at Ria's house in Lebak Bulus, South
Jakarta, on Jan. 12.

Police said that the autopsy done by the hospital showed that
Rifardi died after consuming cyclobarbital, a kind of sleeping
pill.

Barbiturates of this type are widely used in medicine as
hypnotic and sedative drugs. Modifying their structure influences
the power and rapidity of their effects and could harm the higher
centers of the brain.

Punishment

The 24-year-old actress faced a maximum prison term of five
years and a maximum fine of Rp 10 million ($4,700) for
obstructing the police investigation of Rifardi's death.

She also faced a maximum prison term of one year and/or a
maximum fine of Rp 1 million ($472) for failing to report
Rifardi's possession and use of illegal drugs to the police.

The youngest daughter of famous movie stars Ade and Bambang
Irawan also faced nine months or a maximum fine of Rp 4,500
($2.10) for allegedly tampering with and disposing of material
evidence found near Rifardi's body.

Ria faced another four years for allegedly destroying material
evidence which was believed to have caused Rifardi's death.

"The police failed to seize the evidence which was believed to
have been eliminated by Ria," Suyoto said.

However, Suyoto said that he would not blame the police or
other parties for their failure to find stronger evidence to
bring Ria's case to the court since the two agencies had worked
hard in investigating the case.

"It's not anybody's fault," Suyoto said, adding that the case
will be reopened if there is new evidence.

Suyoto's announcement ended months of investigation and many
predictions as to how the case would likely end.

Hotma Sitompul, Ria's lawyer, said earlier that he knew the
Prosecutor's Office would have to drop all of the charges against
his client eventually.

"Given the fact that the police and the prosecutor have worked
hard on the dossier for such a long time and still could not find
enough evidence against my client, I was sure the case would be
dropped," Sitompul told The Jakarta Post recently. (yns)