Bambang Muryanto, Yogyakarta – A team of lawyers from the Association of Indonesian Journalists (PWI) Yogyakarta branch blasted the Yogyakarta Police's tardy 17-year investigation into the murder of journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin alias Udin, which remains unsolved.

The accusation was conveyed at the first pre-trial hearing on the murder case on Tuesday at Sleman District Court. The pre-trial hearing was proposed because the PWI Yogyakarta was angered by the lack of promising results despite the investigation spanning almost two decades.

"The PWI Yogyakarta provided information to the Yogyakarta Police but it seems this was ignored and [as a result] the case went cold," Ramdlon Naning one of the PWI's lawyers told the court on Tuesday.

The team of lawyers also said that the excuse provided by the police – that it had thoroughly investigated the case – was just lip service.

Udin was beaten by unidentified person(s) on Aug. 13, 1996, at his home in Bantul and died three days later at Yogyakarta Bethesda Hospital without regaining consciousness.

The police had named Dwi Sumaji alias Iwik as a suspect in the case. The police alleged that Iwik had killed Udin over an extra marital affair between Udin and Iwik's wife. Iwik was later tried at the Bantul District Court but acquitted due to a lack of evidence.

Despite the acquittal, Ramdlon said, the police continued to believe Iwik was Udin's murderer. Thus, he went on, the police had secretly and unilaterally stopped its investigation. "That's why the PWI Yogyakarta branch asked the court to examine and hear the case," Lasdin Wlas, another PWI lawyer said.

The team also asked the court to order the Yogyakarta Police to continue its investigation into Udin's murder or issue a warrant to terminate the investigation (SP3) within eight days after the pre-trial had finished.

Responding the issue, Yogyakarta Police lawyer Adj. Sr. Comr. Bambang Wardani asked the court to turn down the pre-trial, arguing that the material proposed was beyond the authority of the pre-trial, he quoted from Article 77 of the Criminal Code Procedures (KUHAP) as reference.

"The Yogyakarta Police have never unilaterally terminated the investigation into the case as accused. This is just the subjective view of the pleader," Bambang said. He also said that the police would continue its investigation whenever it received new information regarding the murder.

Ramdlon refused to response to the police's remarks. He said the team planned to present witnesses including an expert witness. The pre-trial was adjourned until Wednesday to hear from the witnesses.

"The trial is limited in terms of time. I hope the sentencing will take seven days," presiding judge Asep Koswara said.

After the trial, journalists staged a rally in front of the court, demanding the police thoroughly investigate the murder.