Trials drag on in Tangerang court

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