Yorrys claims illness keeps him out of court
JAKARTA (JP): Yorrys Raweyai of Pemuda Pancasila, a powerful youth organization, once again failed to show up at the West Jakarta District Court where he is being tried on gambling charges, claiming ill health.
"The court has received a letter from a Singaporean doctor saying that Yorrys is ill and needs rest," presiding judge Ismail Sebayang told reporters after the court session.
The medical statement, which was signed by Dr. J.L. Da Costa, the co-owner of the specialist clinic Chew and Da Costa Ltd. on Orchard Road, Singapore, asked the court to give Yorrys two weeks rest.
Judge Ismail overruled the doctor's request, however, and asked that Yorrys appear in person in his next court session scheduled on Oct. 10.
The defendant, along with six others, was supposed to appear in court last Monday also, but his defense lawyers said that Yorry's did not receive the court subpoena.
Judge Sebayang warned that the court will take action if Yorrys fails to appear in the next scheduled session.
According to the Criminal Procedure Code, an alleged offender can be arrested if he or she fails to appear in court two times consecutively.
In a related development, City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto yesterday promised to assign personnel to keep track of Yorrys in order to bring him to court on future trial dates.
No more excuses
"The District Court told us that no more excuses will be accepted after today's trial," Hindarto told reporters after installing the new chief of the South Jakarta Police precinct here yesterday.
Hindarto, however, gave no further information as to whether the suspect, who was released on bail, is still in the city.
Yorrys Raweyai, the day-to-day chairman of Pemuda Pancasila, a powerful, shadowy youth organization affiliated to the ruling Golkar group, has been tried along with six other defendants on charges of organizing and playing rummy and macok at a store house in West Jakarta in July.
Yorrys was arrested along with six other defendants on July 20, at a gambling den at Jl. Daan Mogot 125, West Jakarta, but he was released on bail shortly after his arrest.
During the raid, police also confiscated Rp 1,572,000 (US$724.4) in cash, cards and other gambling paraphernalia.
The defendants were tried in two separate trials.
Yorrys was tried along with three other alleged gamblers, Sundoro Tan, Budianto and Hadi Mustapa.
Three other persons accused of organizing the games, Abidin, Bock Tjin Lim and Ng A Tjan, were tried in another trial.
The arrest of Yorrys prompted Yapto Suryosumarno, the number- one person of Pemuda Pancasila, to allege that it was politically motivated, a charge denied by Jakarta Military Commander Maj. Gen. Hendropriyono.
According to the law, a gambler caught red handed faces a maximum imprisonment of four years or a maximum fine of Rp 10 million (US$4,600).
While a person found illegally operating a gambling place faces a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of Rp 25 million.
The trial was adjourned until next week.(03/bsr)