Jakarta – The Munir murder case took a new turn Wednesday when three key witnesses testified in the murder conspiracy trial of former Garuda Indonesia chief Indra Setiawan, saying the presence of off-duty pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto on Munir's flight was out of line with procedure.

"Pollycarpus's flight on Sept. 6, 2004, was unauthorized," Ramelgia Anwar, former vice president for corporate security at Garuda Indonesia, told the court. Anwar denied having asked Pollycarpus to request a note of transfer from flight operational support officer Rohainil Aini.

Rohainil had testified earlier that she issued the note of transfer after Pollycarpus convinced her Anwar had requested his service as an extra crew member on the flight to Singapore.

Shortly afterwards she received a letter, written by Indra Setiawan, confirming Pollycarpus's assignment to assist in Anwar's investigation sub-unit.

"As soon as I heard Pollycarpus mention Ramelgia Anwar, I issued the transfer note. Actually, even without the assignment letter he would've been able to board the flight. The note of transfer was just a notice," Rohainil told the court.

When asked whether his job and that of Pollycarpus at the corporate security unit could be categorized as 'intelligence' work, Anwar said yes.

Munir's widow, Suciwati, testified that after meeting with Garuda Indonesia officials three times and receiving conflicting statements, she felt compelled to seek more precise information concerning the flight on which her husband died. Most of her information was provided to her by a fact-finding team consisting of Munir's fellow activists.

She added that some time before leaving, her husband and two friends had been involved in a public service announcement that advised people not to vote for a presidential candidate with a military background.

"It was during that time that Munir and his friends received phone calls from Pollycarpus. Munir didn't speak to him because I answered the phone call while Munir was gone," she told the court. She testified two of Munir's friends had told her that Pollycarpus offered them free plane tickets.

Pollycarpus was tried, convicted and later acquitted by the Supreme Court on charges relating to the Munir murder. He was scheduled to be a key witness during the trial on Wednesday but due to illness he didn't come.

The trial of Indra Setiawanon on charges of conspiracy to commit premeditated murder is among the most recent efforts to pursue the people behind Munir's death, something that the previous trial of Pollycarpus failed to do.

Prosecutors are working to uncover administrative irregularities that could point to a conspiracy behind the murder.

An indictment hearing for Rohainil Aini, which was also held Wednesday, ruled that there was a concrete basis for taking her into a court of law. Rohainil's trial is scheduled to start on Nov. 13, when Suciwati, Indra Setiawan and Ramelgia Anwar will be called to testify. (lva)