Six involved in Blok M police murder: Witnesses
JAKARTA (JP): Witnesses in a trial of two men charged with the murder of a police officer in Blok M last March told the court yesterday that six men were involved in the fatal attack on two police officers.
All five witnesses testifying at the South Jakarta District Court yesterday said only six hoodlums attacked Lt. Budi Prasetyo and Capt. Arman Depari at the Blok M shopping complex. Official reports put the number of attackers at 10.
Budi Prasetyo died with stab wounds to his stomach, while Arman escaped the attack.
Two of the witnesses, Reza Lawalata and Idris Tuarita, are also being charged with the offense. They are being tried separately by the same court.
The other three witnesses: Stephanus Vancapele, Rudi Lasatira and Robinson Timisela, are also suspected of involvement in the murder.
On trial yesterday were defendants Amirsan Liskaloho and Zulkifli Namuharuri.
The five witnesses also denied any involvement in the deadly attack and withdrew their previous statements made to police, saying that the statements were made under police pressure.
According to the prosecutor, the ten men involved in the attack are Mario, Franky, Amirsan, Zulkifli, Reza, Idris, Rudi, Robinson, Jimiko and Amir. Only four of them are being tried.
Two suspects, Mario and Franky were gunned down by officers for resisting arrest soon after the attack.
The prosecutor said the two off-duty police officers were attacked by a group of street hoodlums in Blok M shopping complex, South Jakarta in March following a heated quarrel.
The death of Lt.Budi Prasetyo sparked strong reactions from police, as well as city military officials, who then launched a major clean-up operation against hoodlums in the city.
More than 15,000 street hoodlums in the city were arrested during the operation. Some 1,500 of them underwent training courses at city police and military headquarters as well as at an Islamic boarding school. Dozens were put on trial and most of them were reprimanded.
Presiding Judge I Gusti Ngurah Somya adjourned the trial until tomorrow. (29)