Testimony given under duress: Dutchman

Testimony given under duress: Dutchman

JAKARTA (JP): Dutchman Christian van den Bosch, who is being
tried on charges of distributing illicit drugs, told the court
yesterday that he was coerced into making a confession to police.

"I made the testimony under pressure from the police," the 27-
year old defendant told presiding judge Djamil Sularso at the
Central Jakarta court.

Christian said that he wished to retract the testimony he gave
during police questioning because it was made under duress.

The defendant is charged with drug trafficking after he and
three companions were arrested at the Hotel Borobudur last
February.

Several thousand capsules of the banned drug Eva containing
derivat amphetamine were about to be sold by the defendant and
his companions to an Indonesian buyer by the name of Irsan at a
price of Rp 80,000 (US$37) each.

The deal was foiled by the police who apprehended the
defendant and his accomplices and seized the drug from them.
Irsan managed to escape during the police raid.

Two of the three accomplices, Steven Bryner and Peter Karajin,
were members of the American embassy security staff here who,
under diplomatic protocol, have been extradited and are being
tried under U.S. law in Guam.

The third, a Dutch of Ambonese descent by the name of Leonard
Jacobus, is being tried separately at the Central Jakarta Court.

In his native tongue, which was then translated by the court
translator, Christian recounted the events of his arrest and
revealed how he was verbally pressured into giving false
testimony.

"They told me I could receive a very stiff sentence if I
didn't collaborate with them," Christian explained.

Answering questions raised by prosecutor Suriansjah, Christian
said he was at the Borobudur hotel to have lunch with his
friends.

He further retracted a statement he made to the police
admitting that he was smuggling drugs on order from a local
female buyer named Nova. If in fact she actually exists, Nova is
still at large.

Christian claimed that he knew nothing about the drugs which
were presented as evidence.

Yesterday's session ended four weeks of testimony made by
several witnesses. The trial is scheduled to resume on June 29
with the prosecution's indictment. (mds)