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.