Yapto's son detained in cafe owner beating
Yapto's son detained in cafe owner beating
JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives have detained Yedidiah
S.K. Soerjosoemarno, son of the chairman of the Pemuda Pancasila
youth organization Yapto Soerjosoemarno, for the alleged physical
assault of a cafe owner last Saturday.
A police detective from the crime and assault unit said on
Thursday night that Yedidiah, 21, was detained shortly after
questioning by city police detectives.
"We questioned him on Thursday, but felt that we needed more
information. Yedidiah was detained on Thursday evening shortly
after the questioning. His father came to visit him in the
evening," the detective, who spoke on the condition of anonymity,
said.
The complainant, Ali S., is owner of Pringo cafe on Jl.
Iskandarsyah, South Jakarta. He is the son-in-law of legislator
Arifin Panigoro.
The beating reportedly resulted from an argument over
Yedidiah's group.
Yedidiah's lawyer, Sofhar Maru Hutagalung, said the fight
began when the group was barred from entering the cafe.
"Ali gave a very hurtful reason. He said that Yedidiah should
not have brought his hick friends to a cafe. Ali said that such
people were not fit to enter his cafe, and that Yedidiah must
have friends of a better class than them," Sofhar told The
Jakarta Post.
"Yedidiah is sensitive about all his friends. He's a friend of
people from the lowest income brackets to the highest. There was
a clash because of what Ali said."
Sofhar claimed Yedidiah was not among the people who beat Ali.
The detective laughed at Sofhar's version of events.
"Sofhar is a lawyer. Of course, he'll defend his client," the
detective said.
Yedidiah was sentenced to 10 months' probation in March 1995
for beating Achmad Dipoditoro, son of business tycoon and then
manpower minister Abdul Latief. Achmad suffered serious facial
injuries in the assault. The judge refused the prosecutor's
request for a jail term, arguing that Yedidiah, then 16, would be
corrupted by mixing with hardened criminals. (ylt)