Punishment sought over slur on Ita's character
Punishment sought over slur on Ita's character
JAKARTA (JP): Parents of murdered Marthadinata will demand
accountability from forensic expert Abdul Mun'im Idries and
psychologist Sarlito Wirawan for allegedly slurring their
daughter's character, their lawyer said on Monday.
Frans Hendra Winarta, the legal counsel for Leo Haryono and
Wiwin Suriadinata, revealed on Monday that he would soon
officially ask the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) and the
Indonesian Psychologists Association (HIMPSI) to take necessary
disciplinary measures against the two professionals for their
statements about the 18-year-old, who was nicknamed Ita.
"We can't, however, specify or say our expectations over what
kind of measures or sanctions should be applied by the
associations on their members. It's all up to them," Frans said.
Mun'im, one of two forensic experts who performed the post-
mortem examination on Ita after her Oct. 9 murder, told the media
that certain drugs were found in her urine and her body showed
signs of sodomy.
Referring to the autopsy results, Sarlito, who is also dean of
the School of Psychology at the University of Indonesia,
concluded that Ita was sexually active and a likely drug addict.
Ita's parents are adamant their daughter was not engaged in
the activities, Frans said.
"Ita's parents certainly objected to their remarks.
"They want their daughter's name to be rehabilitated soon
because the media reports quoting the two experts have outraged
them," Frans said.
On Saturday, IDI chairman Agus Purwadianto and HIMPSI chairman
Enoch Markum said they would hear first from both experts in
internal hearings before taking further measures.
Mun'im has insisted his statements were not defamatory and did
not violation any professional code of ethics. He said he was
ready enough to be questioned by any party to defend his
position.
Frans said Ita was from a close-knit family.
"Leo and Wiwin told me that they knew 99.9 percent of
everything their daughter did. So the widespread reports on Ita
have somewhat disgraced and shocked them."
Frans also alleged that Mun'im and Sarlito breached their
professional capacity by revealing confidential details publicly.
"Even if their statements were true, they're not supposed to
reveal them to the media. They are not in their capacity to give
the statements to the public while the police investigation is
still underway."
Reconstruction
Meanwhile, the Jakarta Police on Monday reenacted the killing
of the third-year high school student in a 90-minute
reconstruction at Ita's home on Jl. Berlian III, Cempaka Putih,
Central Jakarta.
"This is to meet the standard required procedures before we
hand over the dossiers (to the prosecutor's office).
"It's not to meet the (public) demand," Jakarta Police
Detectives unit chief Col. Gories Mere, who led the reenactment,
told the media at the site.
Under tight security of dozens of police officers, the
22-year-old suspect, Suryadi, alias Otong, who is also one of the
victim's next-door neighbors, arrived at the site at 11 a.m.
Anxious neighbors, onlookers and media jammed the area.
Ita's mother watched the reenactment from a distance while her
sister Evi carefully followed the reconstruction at close range.
None of them was willing to comment.
Otong's mother and sisters also watched how a calm Otong
reenacted every detail of the brutal crime.
But the reenactment highlighted a number of discrepancies.
On Monday, Otong put green and black socks on his hands and
slowly clambered into the house compound over the front iron
gates.
In an earlier police statement, Otong did not mention wearing
the socks and he also stated that the front gates were unlocked.
Otong had said he used three kinds of knives, but he only used
two in the reenactment. (emf)