Prosecutor's rebuttal heard in Bekasi rape case
Prosecutor's rebuttal heard in Bekasi rape case
JAKARTA (JP): The mother of one of 11 defendants being tried for gang rape and robbery cried hysterically at the Bekasi District Court yesterday after the prosecutors turned down the defendant's request that his son be acquitted of all charges.
"Why don't you kill me rather than punishing my son who knew nothing about the crime," Lena, the mother of defendant Iwan Rejeki shouted minutes after the hearing.
Prosecutors had asked the court at an earlier session to sentence Iwan Rejeki, Bonen, Mamat, Deddy Setiawan, Muhamad Ali, Matali, Indra, Wijayadi, Aris Haryadi and Jamal to 16 years in prison for the robbery and rape.
The defendants, aged between 17 and 23, are accused of raping a mother and her two daughters and stealing their jewelry in July last year in Cimatis, Bekasi, 30 km southeast of the city.
The prosecutors also demanded that two other suspects, Taman and Supriatna, be sentenced to 12 years imprisonment. The two, according to the prosecutors, were not directly involved in the crime, but had accompanied the 11 defendants to the house.
"We decided to stick to our previous demand and ask the judges to refute the defense statements by the lawyers and defendants," prosecutor T. Baringin Udjung told the panel of judges.
On Monday, 15 defense lawyers in three separate trials read their defense statements asking the court to exonerate their clients who they claim are innocent.
The lawyers said none of the evidence and none of the witnesses have proved that the defendants were involved in the crime.
From his six-page rebuttal, Udjung, who is prosecuting the trial of Bonen, Mamat and Dedi, countered previous statements by the defendants that their testimonies were made under police pressure, saying the claim was a stereotyped cliche.
"During the interrogating sessions the suspects were always accompanied by their lawyers. The suspects signed the dossiers in full view of the lawyers. So they were not coerced into putting their signatures on the dossiers," the prosecutor said.
He also said that Amin, a prisoner the defendants wanted to testify because of his knowledge of the crime, could not be a witness because he was not directly involved in the crime.
The trial was adjourned until Monday after the defendants' lawyers asked for a redress.
With a verdict approaching, security at yesterday's 18th session was tightened. Dozens of police officers stood guard inside and outside the courthouse.
Earlier court sessions were marred by outbursts of public anger. Two camps have emerged in the emotional trial: those who support the victims and those who claim the police have arrested the wrong persons.
Last August, the defendant's lawyers called off a suit in which they accused the police of arresting the wrong men. They claimed the police could not guarantee their safety after a mob attacked them and damaged their cars.(03)