Suspect in Ramayana blast testify in court

JAKARTA (JP): Two suspects in the Ramayana department store blast on Jl. Sabang early this year testified against two defendants at the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, saying their gang received Rp 40 million to blow up the store.

Satilan, one of the suspects, said the money was received by his gang's leader, identified as Amir who is still at large, from Rosalina Handayani, one of the defendants, two days after the Jan. 2 blast.

Both Rosalina and Yan Pieter are being tried on charges of masterminding the blast.

"Amir said the money was handed over by one of Rosalina's employees," Satilan, a scavenger from Madura island, said, adding that he received Rp 6.6 million from Amir for his role.

Satilan, who will be tried separately, said he and his friend Mukri bought three homemade bombs for Rp 3 million in Madura last December.

He said the money used to buy the bombs was initially to be in the form of a check for Rp 3 million from Pieter. "But since the check was dishonored, Amir gave us money of his own to buy the bombs," said the elementary school dropout, who said he was unable to read or write. Mukri is also still at large.

Satilan further said that during a discussion at Pieter's house in Cipinang, East Jakarta, in December, Amir suggested burning down the department store. "But I did not agree with the idea and suggested that we blow up the building," he said.

He said one bomb exploded and damaged the building and the windows of nearby shops, while the other two bombs did not detonate.

Another suspect, Sundah, who also testified at the session, said he learned of the planned blast from Amir after visiting Rosalina's house on Jl. Hayam Wuruk, West Jakarta.

Sundah, who also will be tried separately, said Amir gave him Rp 500,000 after the blast even though he did nothing to earn it.

"Maybe Amir didn't want me to talk about the blast," said the construction worker, who also hails from Madura.

In response to the testimonies, Rosalina, president of private firm PT Technodev, said on Tuesday she never asked Amir to blow up the department store with the aim of frightening land owners in the area.

"I also do not recognize the witnesses. I never gave him or Amir any money," Rosalina said.

However, Pieter said the check he gave to Amir was to pay for the installation of a fence on a plot of land on Jl. Sabang.

"It was dishonored because I canceled it," he said.

Prosecutor Tonny Sinnay earlier said in his indictment that Rosalina was asked by a foundation owned by state Bank Dagang Negara to handle the appropriation of the aforementioned plot of land, which is situated just behind the bank.

Tonny said the foundation promised to pay Rosalina Rp 14 billion if she managed to appropriate the land to be used for the expansion of the bank's head office.

Rosalina then asked Pieter, who is involved with a youth organization specializing in land appropriation, for help, he said.

Pieter apparently asked two military personnel to help blow up the department store, but the request was turned down, Tonny said.

He said Pieter then met Amir who accepted the offer to blow up the building. "After the blast, the land owners were expected to sell their land to the foundation," the indictment said.

Presiding judge Endang Sumarsih adjourned the trial until next week when the court will hear testimonies from other witnesses. (jun)