Jakarta – Central Jakarta District Court judges ruled Wednesday that the most recent indictment in the murder case of rights activist Munir Said Thalib stands, and that former Garuda Indonesia president director Indra Setiawan will be tried for conspiracy to murder.
"We consider that the prosecutors have described the defendant's role clearly in the murder process, therefore we must continue the court examination," presiding judge Heru Pramono told the court session.
If convicted of involvement in premeditated murder, Indra could face 14 years in prison. Prosecutors have charged that Indra issued the official written order on Aug. 11, 2004, requiring that former Garuda pilot Polycarpus Budihari Priyanto, who has been tried, convicted and later acquitted on charges relating to the Munir murder, be present on the flight to the Netherlands taken by the human rights activist.
Indra is currently being held at National Police Headquarters, pending completion of his trial.
Prosecutor Noor Rahmat said in response to the judges' ruling that his team was ready to bring 26 witnesses to court. The four key witnesses are former Garuda officers Ramelgia Anwar, Rohainil Aini and Polycarpus, and Suciwati, Munir's widow.
Suciwati said Wednesday she was prepared to testify at the next court session on Nov. 7.
"I will tell the court about Indra's testimony during the Polycarpus' case review at the Supreme Court because I believe it strongly relates to this case," she told reporters.
"I hope Indra will be wise enough not to let himself be the only person held responsible. He has no other choice but to reveal everything he knows about the case."
Indra testified in the case review session that he had been ordered by the National Intelligence Agency's deputy chief M. As'ad to include Polycarpus on the same flight taken by Munir.
The state-owned airliner has long been under the supervision of the intelligence agency due to security reasons.
Also during the review session to determine whether there was enough new evidence to reopen the case, a recording was played of a telephone conversation between Indra and Polycarpus.
In that conversation Polycarpus tried to convince Indra that neither would ever face charges or trial in connection with Munir's killing because prominent state officials, including the attorney general and the Supreme Court chief, were on their side.
Attorney General Hendarman Supandji and Supreme Court chief Bagir Manan have called Polycarpus' statement baseless.
Indra's lawyer Antawirya Dipodiputra said there was no case against his client. "Indra has been charged with helping to facilitate a murder by issuing a letter to Polycarpus, but no murderer has been officially named by the court. So how come Indra is being tried?" he said after the court session. (dic)