Trials drag on in Tangerang court

TANGERANG: The Tangerang District Court has become bogged down by two trials: one a corruption case involving the former chief of the municipal land agency, Satmojo, the second an annexation case involving municipal council speaker Gian Sugiharsono.

According to a circular issued by the Supreme Court in 2000, any case being tried in a district court should be completed within six months. If a trial is not completed in this time period, the district court involved is required to file a report with the high court.

"I have already reported to the high court why the trial has not yet finished," Zainal Arifin, the presiding judge at Satmojo's trial, said.

The judge said the repeated failure of lawyers and witnesses to appear in court had caused more than 20 postponements.

Satmojo's trial began in February last year. The defendant is facing corruption charges over a National Land Documents Project in the subdistricts of Sukasari, Babakan, Sukaasih and Saukarasa in Tangerang municipality between 1998 and 1999.

Sototo Hadi, the presiding judge at Gian Sugiharsono's trial, said he had also filed a report with the high court.

Prosecutor Anwarudin has charged Gian with violating Article 385 of the Criminal Code on land annexation. If found guilty, he could receive a maximum sentence of four years in prison. --JP