Yorrys charge baseless: Lawyer

Yorrys charge baseless: Lawyer

JAKARTA (JP): Tommy Sihotang, the lawyer for Yorrys Raweyai of
Pemuda Pancasila, a powerful youth organization, and three other
alleged gamblers, told the West Jakarta District Court yesterday
that the indictment should be annulled.

"Your Honor, the prosecutor's indictment should be legally
annulled because it contains an inaccurate description of the
crime," lawyer Tommy said.

The lawyer said that the indictment brought forth by
prosecutor Noor Said stated that his client made a living from
gambling, but provided no basis in fact, or details to support
the charge he was running a gambling business.

In the court session, which was led by presiding Judge Ismail
Sebayang, the defense lawyer stressed the importance of an
accurate indictment, saying that it will be used as the basis of
a trial.

Tommy also said the fact that Yorrys was caught red-handed on
July 29 at a gambling den in West Jakarta was not enough reason
to charge that he had organized or was making a living from the
games played there.

Prosecutor Noor Said stated on Monday that Yorrys and the
other three alleged gamblers had violated three articles of the
Criminal Code on gambling, one of which involves the organizing
of a gambling den and the use of the proceeds for business
purposes.

The prosecutor also added that the four defendants violated
the 1974 Anti-Gambling Law.

Another factor used by Tommy to defend his clients concerned
the evidence, which he considered inadequate.

"The police confiscated `evidence', such as money from the
four defendants' wallets, and took what they defined as `gambling
paraphernalia' from a closed cupboard," he said.

As usual, Yorrys appeared at the court house accompanied by
his wife, Olga. But the number of supporters and Mobile Brigade
officers with him had decreased dramatically.

Judge Ismail adjourned the trial until Oct. 17 to decide
whether to allow and act on defense lawyer Tommy's statement.

Yorrys, the day-to-day chairman of the Golkar-affiliated
Pemuda Pancasila, is being tried along with six other defendants
on charges of organizing games of chance and playing rummy and
macok at a storehouse at Jl. Daan Mogot 125 in West Jakarta.

Yorrys was arrested along with six other suspects, but was
released on bail shortly afterwards.

The defendants are being tried in two separate trials.

Yorrys is being tried along with three other alleged gamblers,
Sundoro Tan, Budianto and Hadi Mustapa. (mas)