Sole survivor of Jagorawi fatal robbery testifies

BOGOR (JP): The sole survivor of a fatal robbery on Jagorawi toll road last October testified Monday at the trial of two people being tried for accessory to murder and robbery.

Nukman Lubis told the Bogor District Court that he gave almost Rp 284 million to the man thought to be the mastermind of the crime.

Nukman, who was with Zaenuddin Lesmana when he was shot, told the court that he surrendered Rp 283.95 million to Idfiel Jaya Anwar in the hospital.

"I gave the money to Idfiel because we were in a group handling land appropriation," Nukman said.

On Oct. 11, 1996, Zaenuddin, Nukman and Tjetje Tajudin were in a sedan with almost Rp 600 million they had withdrawn from the bank, when a Toyota Kijang van intercepted them on the Jagorawi toll road. Three unidentified men jumped out of the van and one of them broke the sedan's windshield. Another shot Zaenuddin.

They stole Rp 312 million from the trunk before escaping.

Nukman and Tjetje were later accused of involvement in the robbery. Tjetje died in police custody 10 days after the robbery, and a police officer was later sacked for torturing him.

Nukman told the court Monday that Zaenuddin and Idfiel had formed a business for land appropriation in Jonggol, Bogor, 65 kilometers, south of Jakarta.

"Zaenuddin was the treasurer, Idfiel was in charge of arranging permits, while I was the mediator between land owners and the group," he said.

He said that was why he gave the Rp 283.95 million to Idfiel. "I met Idfiel at the PMI Hospital in Bogor where Zaenuddin's body was being kept," he said.

Nukman and three other people, Firdaus, Kukus Sri Widodo and Melia Rachmawati (Zaenuddin's wife), took the witness stand at the trial of Erling Doly Wijaya, who the prosecutor claims was a lookout at the robbery, and Heri Faisal, who the prosecutor says smashed the windshield.

Firdaus and Kukus were acquaintances of Idfiel and Zaenuddin.

In the first hearing on April 14, the prosecutor said that Idfiel, who was in custody at the time, was the mastermind of robbery. However, the Prosecutor's Office released him a week later, saying there was no evidence of his involvement in the robbery.

The second witness, Firdaus, said that he, Idfiel and Kukus agreed to take three bags containing Rp 283.95 million to Idfiel's home in Jakarta. "We, I and Idfiel, with the money, headed for Jakarta in my car, while Kukus was in his own car," said Firdaus.

Firdaus' car broke down at a toll gate and Idfiel moved the bags to Kukus' car.

Firdaus said Zaenuddin's diary, a receipt and two letters were left in his car. "I gave all the stuff to Idfiel on Oct. 12," he said.

Zaenuddin's belongings are being used as evidence in the trial, but the prosecutors did not have the two letters. Nobody seemed to know what the letters were about.

Kukus told the court that Idfiel had instructed Firdaus to deny all knowledge of the letters.

The trial was adjourned until next Monday to hear more witnesses. (24/sur)