Tommy fails to testify in trial

Tommy fails to testify in trial

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Murder accused Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra was not required
to testify at the trial of an alleged accomplice in the killing
because prosecutors failed to include him on a list of witnesses,
the presiding judge said on Friday.

Tommy failed to testify at the hearing of Dody Hardjito, who
is being tried for his alleged role in the murder of Supreme
Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita last year.

Chief prosecutor Ismanto told the South Jakarta District Court
he could not present Tommy due to "security reasons".

"I can understand as it's not easy to present him. It will
need tight security," said presiding judge Tusani Djafri, who
opened the hearing without the presence of the two other judges.

Djafri told the prosecutor to summon Tommy again but added
that there was no obligation for the prosecutor to do so as
Tommy's name was not included on the list of 36 witnesses.

"If he can't come, just summon other witnesses," the judge
said.

Another witness, Hetty Siti Hartika, also failed to attend the
trial because, according to the prosecutor, she was ill.

Before the hearing, Ismanto told reporters that prosecutors
had sent a summons to Tommy two weeks ago and asked the police to
safeguard the hearing and the transfer of the defendant from
Cipinang penitentiary in East Jakarta to the court. But the
police did not respond to the request.

Ismanto said that Tommy was not included on the list because
he was on the run when the dossier was made.

Tommy is being tried at the Central Jakarta District Court on
charges of masterminding Syafiuddin's murder, illegal possession
of arms and ammunition, and fleeing from justice.

According to the indictment, Tommy had ordered Dody to hire
men to kill Syafiuddin, the judge who had recently sentenced
Tommy to 18 months in jail for graft.

"Perhaps he did not feel well after attending his hearing on
Wednesday," Ismanto said.

The trial will resume on Tuesday.