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Agus Sudrajat, another witness from the state-run BRI's Bogor branch bank, confirmed the late treasurer had withdrawn Rp 592.5 million from the bank on Oct. 11.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