Udin's trial adjourned

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)