The Jagorawi robbery and murder trial begins

BOGOR (JP): The trial of two men charged with being accessories to robbery and murder on the Jagorawi toll road last October began yesterday.

The trial is being conducted at the Bogor District Court in two separate rooms with the same prosecution teams.

The first defendant is Erling Doly Wijaya, alias Mikel, alias Handoko (31). The second defendant is Heri Faisal alias Hendrik (28).

Judge Nurganti Saragih presided over the trial of Mikel with Judge Usman Wahab presiding over the trial of Hendrik.

The prosecution team includes Andi Rachman Asbar, Razali Hanafiah and Yono Salim, while the team of defense lawyers is comprised of Tb. Mansjur Abubakar, Almuzfar and Castrio Panji.

According to the indictments, the defendants have violated Article 339 and Article 365 Paragraph 4 of the Criminal Code. Violators may face the death penalty.

The murder and robbery on Oct. 11, 1996, which claimed the life of Zainudin Lesmana, an employee of a private firm, was planned by Iedfil Jaya Anwar, owner of the Zodiak discotheque in Gadog, Bogor, the prosecutors said.

Rp 312 million was stolen from the victim in the robbery, the indictments said.

Iedfil, now in police custody, allegedly asked Mikel to arm himself with a gun, steal Zainudin Lesmana's money, and kill him if he tried to resist.

Mikel finally agreed to commit the crime with friends after Iedfil repeatedly urged him to do so. "Iedfil agreed if the cost was not more than Rp 50 million for the business," prosecutor Andi said.

According to the prosecutor, Mikel then contacted Iskandar, whom he had known for a long time. It was Iskandar who contacted Budiarto and Hendrik, the indictments said.

Iskandar and Budiarto are still at large.

The indictments did not explain how Iedfil knew Zainudin, and how he knew that Zainudin would make a large withdrawal on the day of the robbery.

Unofficial sources said that Iedfil and Zainudin were mutually acquainted, and were involved in an appropriation of land in Jonggol, Bogor.

The prosecutor said that Iskandar had driven the Toyota Kijang van which intercepted Zainudin's Hyundai sedan on the toll road. "Hendrik smashed the front shield of Zainudin's sedan with a sickle, while it was Budiarto who shot the victim. Mikel was driving a Mercedes Benz sedan, No. B 2708 DB, watching from behind," the indictments said.

The trial has been adjourned until next Monday to hear the defense lawyer's reply to the indictments. (24/sur)