Theater staged at court

JAKARTA (JP): A street theater performance took place on Thursday in front of the South Jakarta District Court, while a woman who had reported a corruption case was being tried on defamation charges.

The show, titled Witness Suffers due to Court Mafia, was staged by Tukul Theater and Indonesian Corruption Watch.

In the performance, an arrogant man in a black suit bearing the title "Suspect" walked to and fro puffing smoke from a cigarette, while "Witness" was put into a cage. A man in shabby clothes with a torch in his hand suddenly appeared and shouted: "Where is justice?"

The court is trying Maria Leonita Sri Chandra Harumi, who is accused of defamation in connection with her reports of bribery involving the Supreme Court's Director of Administration, Zainal Agus.

On Thursday's hearing, the defendant's lawyer, I Wayan Sudirta, asked the court to drop the case because the indictment was not accurate.

The lawyer also read a letter signed by the chairman of the National Ombudsman Commission, Antonius Sujata, who asked the Attorney General's Office, an institution that used to coordinate the Joint Anticorruption Team (TGPTPK), to protect witnesses who report alleged corruption cases.

Maria has been sent to court for her report of alleged bribery filed at the now-defunct Anticorruption Team.

Zainal was earlier taken to the court, but the case was dismissed last month on the grounds that the team had been dissolved before the trial started.