Suspects in Tampubolon murder tried in East Jakarta court

JAKARTA (JP): The trial of the four suspects in the April 4 killing of Brig. Gen. TMF Tampubolon, an expert staff on economic affairs to the chief of the Armed Forces, began in East Jakarta yesterday.

Presiding Judge Soeroto began by examining two defendants, Rusdi Abdul Rahman, 24, and Hendrik Setyawan, 25, who are the prime suspects. He also questioned several key witnesses, including Shinta Tampubolon, the victim's wife, Ismail Abdul Rohim and his wife Alwarda Harahap, and Darmi Sawab, the Tampubolons' maid.

Prosecutor Muslim Sajidah stated in his charges that Rusdi and Hendrik violated several articles in the Criminal Code, including Article 338 dealing with murder and Article 2 section 1 of the 1951 Emergency Law No. 12 dealing with illegal possession of weapons.

Rusdi, a security guard at a home near the scene on Jl. Griya Wartawan, Cipinang Muara, East Jakarta, is accused of stabbing Tampubolon with a bayonet while Hendrik, a construction worker, of wounding the general with a machete.

With 11 stab wounds Tampubolon still managed to drive his car to the nearest police precinct. He died half an hour later at the nearby UKI Hospital in Cawang, said the prosecutor.

The killing occurred after Tampubolon's car nearly brushed the four defendants who were heading home from a billiards center. They shouted at Tampubolon, who turned his car back to confront them. This escalated into a heated argument and finally the killing, according to the prosecution.

John T. Siahaan, who is defending Rusdi and Hendrik, told The Jakarta Post that the defendants could be sentenced to 15 years in jail if the charges are proven.

Presiding Judge Soeroto adjourned the first session until June 20 to continue the examination of other witnesses.

In the second session, Soeroto examined Risdiyanto Alex, 25, or better known as Joko, a laborer at Tanjung Priok seaport.

Joko is also believed to have stabbed Tampubolon with a penknife, which was found by the police in the septic tank at his house three days after the killing.

Prosecutor Saleh Abdurrahman also charged Joko of violating the same articles in the Criminal Code that Rusdi and Hendrik are charged under.

However, two witnesses, Alwarda and Ismail, whose house is close to the crime scene, said that they could not recall seeing Joko during the killing.

Alwarda, who said she saw the incident through her window, said before the court that "The street was dimly lit, I could only see Hendrik and Rusdi hitting the victim with an object that I could barely see," she said.

During the second examination, Darmi Sawab, the maid in the Tampubolons' household, testified that her master did not leave the house in a hurry, as had been widely reported previously.

Earlier reports said that Tampubolon rushed out from his house five minutes after he received a phone call from an unidentified party.

The mysterious phone call had led to media speculations as to whether the killing had a political background.

"He still had time to read a book, watch the TV and had his dinner, then he went off," she said.

Darmi, who has served the Tampubolons for about 10 years, was not aware of her employers death until two police officers came to the house to inform the family about it.

Accompanied by four of her five grown children, Shinta, 51, could not hold back tears when the prosecutor showed the judges her husband's black shirt and denim heavily stained with dried blood.

However, the widow was able to explain to the court all details of the wounds she saw on her husband's body and answer every question from the prosecutor and the defense lawyers in a weak voice.

The third session examined Lukman Achmad, 30, an ojek driver.

Prosecutor Sutomo charged the defendant with a less serious violation. Lukman, according to the prosecution, helped his friends commit the crime but did not use a weapon. Lukman is not charged with violating Article 2 section 1 of the 1951 Emergency Law on illegal possession of weapons.

The presiding judge adjourned the second and third sessions until June 20.(03)