Bambang Muryanto, Bantul, Yogyakarta – Witnesses in the case of the 12 members of the Army's Special Force (Kopassus) charged with killing four detainees at a Sleman prison were not at ease while testifying at the II-11/Yogyakarta Military Court, a counselor says.
Speaking after accompanying the witnesses on Thursday, the witness psychological competence examination team leader, Yusti Probowati, said that the witnesses found the courtroom too small.
"They felt they were sat too close to the defendants," said Yusti, adding that it could lead to biased testimonies. The courtroom, positioned at the back of the military court building, measures 6 meters by 7 meters.
Three witnesses – Widiatmana, Agus Murjanta and Indrawan, all Cebongan Penitentiary employees – were called for the hearing of First Sgt. Tri Juwanto, First Sgt. Anjar Rahmanto, First Sgt. Mathius Roberto P Banani, First Sgt. Suprapto and First Sgt. Herman Siswoyo's.
Widiatmana told the court that he felt uncomfortable because the room was so small. In response, military prosecutor Lt. Col. Hasan asked for permission from presiding judge Lt. Col. Faridah Faisal to let the witnesses move their chairs away from where the defendants sat.
However, while Agus testified, Suprapto interrupted the witness because he said Agus was too close to the public. Faridah dismissed the objection.
Andi Suryo of the People's Coalition for Military Court Monitoring (KRPM) said the interruption could be seen as intimidation of a witnesses.
Teguh Soedarsono, of the Witness and Victim Protection Institute (LPSK), said the judge should have heard Yusti and the psychological competence examination team's comments because they had examined the witnesses.
He said that even in a bigger courtroom, civilian witnesses often feel uncomfortable because they were surrounded by military personnel and military defendants.
"They could not testify properly. The judge should have sent the defendants out before asking the witnesses to take the stand," Teguh said, adding that the judges had not taken the witnesses seriously.
Meanwhile, the hearing for Second Sgt. Ucok Tigor Simbolon, Second Sgt. Sugeng Sumaryanto and First Cpl. Kodik, called six witnesses – Tri Indrawan, Yusuf Sumarno, Tugiyono, Rudi Handoko, Agus Bintoro and Joni Indrawan – who were all prison detainees.
They said they saw one of the defendants enter the cell that held the four victims and shoot them, leaving them for dead. Presiding judge Faridah said the next hearing, on July 31, would hear the military prosecutors' sentence request.