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)