Students testify at senior's trial

JAKARTA (JP): Two Taruma Negara University students told the West Jakarta District Court Monday they could not recall a fellow student being beaten or kicked during a rigorous training program to join the university's Student Regiment in 1995.

The students, Deni Setiawan and Susanto Kardiman, were testifying in the trial of three senior students charged with torturing The Manto. Manto died shortly after the alleged beating.

Deni and Susanto were freshmen at the university as was Manto.

But separately Deni and Susanto said the defendant had stepped on their stomachs during the program.

"It didn't hurt," Deni said.

An autopsy by the University of Indonesia's school of medicine revealed Manto's spleen was broken and his stomach filled with two liters of blood.

Their testimony contradicted the signed statements they gave to police. In their statements they said beating and kicking were common during the training.

The witnesses asked the judge to ignore their written statements because they were tired when they gave the statements.

One defendant, when asked to comment on the testimony, said he had stepped on students' stomachs but had done so slowly. He said the exercise was intended to strengthen their stomach muscles.

The trial was adjourned until next Monday. (13)