Slamet Susanto and Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – Deputy Law and Human Rights Minister Denny Indrayana called on the public to keep watching the progress of the Cebongan trial. The trial so far has yet to expose any details of the attack on the penitentiary in Sleman, Yogyakarta.
"Everybody has to participate so justice can be won through the military court," Denny said after attending a session at the II-11 Yogyakarta Military Court on Friday.
The 12 defendants are members of Kopassus Group 2 Kandang Menjangan of Kartosuro, Central Java. They are accused of storming the prison and killing four detainees.
The court has heard that three of the defendants – Second. Sgt. Ucok Tigor Simbolon, Second Sgt. Sugeng Sumaryanto and First Corporal Kodik – left their posts on Mount Lawu in Karanganyar, Central Java, on March 22, to take revenge on "Marcel", a man they believed had killed former Kopassus member, Sriyono.
They stopped by Kandang Menjangan and took additional Kopassus members with them. Failing to find Marcel, they then went to the prison in Sleman to look for another man, Deki. Ucok has testified that he intended to ask the detainee about Marcel's whereabouts.
Nine of the 12 defendants have been charged with premeditated murder, while the remaining three are charged with failing to inform their superiors of the other nine men's intentions.
Whatever the reasons, Denny said, the defendants' misconduct was intolerable. "The perpetrators must be punished in accordance with their acts," he said.
He said the court must be safe for everyone for the sake of justice. He criticized the presence of different elements of the community at the court compound, claiming to secure the trial. Denny believed that the presence of the groups could have the opposite effect.
"Security is the responsibility of the institution. Anything that obstructs justice from being served must be avoided," he said.
Regarding the trial, Denny said that it had yet to dig out any deep information on how the killings actually occurred. "So far, it has been nothing but fringe matters, nowhere near the heart of the matter," Denny said.
While he was at the military court, Denny had the chance to witness two out of the four sessions.
Leader of the defense team, Col. Rokhmat disagreed with Denny's interpretation of events, saying that there had been confessions from the defendants. The only matter remaining open was to establish whether the killings were premeditated or not.
Separately, member of the Victim and Witness Protection Agency (LPSK), Teguh Soedarsono, complained that the panel of judges had not allowed 10 of the 42 witnesses to come under LPSK protection and give testify through a video link for psychological reasons.
"In fact, the psychological examination result has been presented to the panel of judges," Teguh said.