Showroom owner testifies on robbery

Showroom owner testifies on robbery

BOGOR (JP): A car showroom owner who testified in the Jagorawi
toll road robbery court case said the Mercedes involved in the
robbery was returned two days after the incident.

Witness Dedy Wijaya, a showroom owner on Jl. R.S. Fatmawati,
South Jakarta, yesterday said defendant Erling Doly Wijaya alias
Mikel, returned the Mercedes five months after buying the car in
installments on behalf of his superior.

"Monthly installments (of Rp 4 million) for the first five
months went smoothly," Dedi said of payments for the Rp 185
million Mercedes.

But two days after the robbery on Oct. 11 last year Mikel,
named as an accomplice, returned the vehicle for minor repairs,
Dedy told the Bogor District Court.

"I'd like to try another car," Dedi said quoting Mikel. Mikel
had said the Mercedes didn't run very well and Dedy lent him a
Honda sedan.

Two months later he learned from police that the Mercedes was
allegedly used in a crime.

"I delivered the car to the police myself," Dedy said.

Dedy said when Mikel went to the showroom to buy the car he
was ineligible for a loan.

He claimed to know a man called Idfiel Jaya Anwar who Dedy
also knew, as Idfiel had previously bought a car from him.

Dedy said Idfiel told him on the telephone that he would
guarantee the loan.

The Mercedes was identified as the vehicle behind a Toyota
Kijang van from which prosecutors said another defendant,
Budiarto, shot treasurer Zaenuddin Lesmana, on the toll road on
Oct. 11 1996. Budiarto is still at large.

Another witness said earlier the victim and defendants were
all working with Idfiel on land appropriation in Jonggol, West
Java. Another suspect named by police, Tjetje Tajudin, died in
police custody.

The indictment said Mikel had watched the robbery and murder
from the Mercedes. The robbery involved Rp 312 million in cash
and documents regarding the land appropriation. Zaenuddin was
carrying almost Rp 600 million for land compensation.

Agus Sudrajat, another witness from the state-run BRI's Bogor
branch bank, confirmed the late treasurer had withdrawn Rp 592.5
million from the bank on Oct. 11.

"Around 2:30 p.m. Zaenuddin came alone with 16 checks from the
(state-owned housing firm) East Jakarta Perum Perumnas office,"
Agus, a bank teller, said.

Since 1995, Zaenuddin had cashed checks for the same office at
least once a month, Agus said.

Bogor police had questioned Idfiel several times before police
declared him a suspect for masterminding the robbery and murder.
This was based on confessions of Mikel and the other defendant
named as the Kijang driver, Hendrik.

Idfiel was released by the Cibinong Prosecutor's Office for
lack of evidence last month, when Mikel withdrew his statement.

The indictments against Mikel and Hendrik, who are being tried
separately, said Iedfil asked Mikel to steal the money from
Zaenuddin and kill him if necessary. (24/anr)