State prosecutor team for Tommy's trial strengthened

State prosecutor team for Tommy's trial strengthened

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

State prosecutors handling the Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra
murder trial switched gears on Wednesday, adding two more people
to strengthen their three-member team.

But even with the new show of force, it remains to be seen
just how effective the prosecutors' role in the battle will be.

As the Central Jakarta District Court opened its fourth
hearing for Tommy -- held at the Jakarta Fair Grounds in
Kemayoran -- chief prosecutor Hasan Madani announced the new
arrangement, which includes Hasan Madani, Andi Walinga, Firdaus
Dewilmar, Lukimanto, and Wahyudi.

Formerly, the team consisted of Andi Rahman Asbar as the
chief, with Lukimanto and Hasan as members.

During the first and the second hearings, Andi did not present
witnesses with questions that seemed to substantiate the charges
-- nor did he raise any objections to any of the questions or
motions from the defense team.

During the third hearing it was Hasan, instead of Andi, who
questioned the witnesses. Hasan had aggressively asked Tommy's
alleged, perhaps? accomplice, Hetty Siti Hartika, manager of
Cemara Apartment, and her maid Sainah, about Tommy's involvement
in the illegal possession of firearms which were found in the
apartment.

The apartment belongs to the Soeharto family.

Tommy is facing four charges: ordering the murder of Supreme
Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, who had sentenced him
to jail for graft; illegal possession of firearms and ammunition
in Cemara Apartments, and in Pondok Indah; and fleeing from law
enforcement authorities.

If found guilty, there is a possibility he will face the death
penalty.

Tommy's defense team consists of attorneys Elza Syarief, Juan
Felix Tampubolon, Indriyanto Seno Adjie, Wimboyono Seno Adjie, M.
Assegaf, and OC Kaligis.

These lawyers have a favorite question which they repeatedly
put to witnesses who take the stand: Was the statement you made
the result of police coercion?

So far, all witnesses believed to have connections to Tommy --
whether as accomplices or employees -- have withdrawn their
statements from the police dossiers which implicated the 40-year-
old, known for his taste in fancy cars.

On Wednesday, four witnesses who work at the Cemara Apartments
each claimed that they had never signed any police statement.

"This is not my signature. I've never signed this ... " said
one witness, Laimin, who has worked as a security guard at the
apartment since 1995.

But he was at a loss for words when the court discovered that
the signature on his ID card was different from the one he made
before the panel of judges.

Laimin answered the lawyer's questions fluidly, as if he had
memorized his testimony in advance. But there were times when he
sounded as if he was groping for answers to questions from the
prosecution.

Tommy's sister Siti Hutami "Mamiek" Endang Adiningsih, was
also summoned as a witness. But, reportedly as a result of ill
health, could not make it to the hearing.

Clad resplendently in his favorite batik cloth, Tommy looked
relaxed as always. In a new sign of confidence, he fielded
several questions from reporters outside.

"This trial is just a conspiracy," he said disdainfully at the
afternoon break. "Just look at the witnesses who recanted their
statements."

During the hearing, which started 9 a.m. and ended at 6:30
p.m., presiding judge Amiruddin Zakaria looked somewhat more
preoccupied with the court's microphones than questioning the
witnesses about Tommy's guilt or innocence.

About once every hour, he disrupted testimony by openly
complaining about the microphones, which were not working well.

"Please, put the microphone before the witness properly ...
apparently, the microphones are not functioning today," he asked
court officers on more than one occasion.

Amiruddin also ordered prosecutors to present defendants to
testify on the charges involving illegal possession of firearms
and ammunition, and on Syafiuddin's murder -- even though
prosecutors have yet to present all the witnesses for the charges
of illegal possession of firearms found in the Cemara Apartments.

"I ordered you to present the other defendants next week for
other charges ... so that the hearings (next week) would not be
boring," Amiruddin said.