Heru Andriyanto – An Indonesian magazine has denied it was responsible for describing Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra as a "convicted murderer," instead blaming an English translator.

Speaking after a hearing in the South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday, a lawyer representing Indo Multi Media, the publisher of Garuda Indonesia's in-flight magazine, said the defense had "presented evidence to the judges that proves that the description was added by the English translator."

Lawyer Yogi Sudrajat also said the defense had supplied the judges with evidence to "counter Tommy's claim that the article caused financial losses to him because a golf tournament he hosted couldn't attract sponsors after the article was published."

"In fact, in one magazine, we found that the event organizers of that particular golf tournament ran an advertisement thanking more than 10 companies for their sponsorship," he said.

Tommy, who served just five years of a 15-year sentence for ordering the murder of a Supreme Court judge, is suing the publication house for Rp 25 billion ($2.8 million).

The article in question, "A New Destination to Enjoy in Bali," which was published in the December 2009 issue of Garuda magazine, reviewed Tommy's Pecatu Indah Resort and referred to the owner as a "convicted murderer."

Tommy's lawyer, Ferry Firman Nurwahyu, has said that the reference to his client had no relevance to the article.

"It is not logical, and the term is not in accordance with the title of the article nor its content," he said. "Even as a convicted murderer, Tommy has the right to be treated as a human. He felt that his privacy and dignity had been attacked."

Also listed as defendants in the suit are Garuda, its vice president of corporate communications, Pujobroto, senior marketing and promotion staff member Prasetyo Budi and two staff members of Indo Multi Media.