Udin's trial adjourned

YOGYAKARTA: The first trial of a police sergeant charged with plotting the murder of a journalist in 1996 began at a Yogyakarta military tribunal on Tuesday without the presence of the defendant.

Prosecutor Lt. Col. Roesdi H.R. told the court presided over by Col. Danur Atmodjo that Edy Wuryanto, who now serves at National Police Headquarters in Jakarta, could not appear at court, "because he is absent from his office today".

Roesdi quoted "somebody" who told him on the phone that Edy was not in the office. He said he did not have any idea who it was.

Soon after the defendant failed to appear, Danur adjourned the hearing until Thursday.

Edy was the head of police detectives in Bantul regency when Fuad Muhammad Syafrudin alias Udin was slain on Aug. 13, 1996.

Edy is accused of violating Article 417 of the Criminal Code by destroying material evidence. He will get five years and six months in jail for the offense if proven guilty.

According to prosecutors, a few days after Udin's death Edy went to his house in Bantul to take his diary and files as evidence. He failed to return them to Udin's relatives, saying he had lost them.

Yogyakarta Police have been under fire for Udin's case, and stand accused of protecting their officers from being tried. Edy was quietly moved to Jakarta early in March this year, despite the fact that he is one of the defendants in the murder case. (swa/sur)