Callistasia Anggun Wijaya, Jakarta – The incumbent Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama has two court hearings left to prove he is not guilty of blasphemy as the judges have said they will speed up the trial in the hope of making a ruling no later than May.

In Tuesday's hearing, presiding judge Dwiarso Budi Santiarto said according to a Supreme Court circular, the trial should last no more than five months. Ahok's trial has lasted for three months so far.

The judge offered lawyers in the case two options: either to present expert witnesses in two hearings that would last until midnight or twice a week in four hearings. One of Ahok's lawyers, I Wayan Sidarta, said the first option would be preferable."We don't mind if hearings last until 12 a.m. We can't have the trial twice a week because it is not easy for us to find experts who are available," Wayan said.

He added that the lawyers would present at least six experts, involving three experts who were questioned during the police investigation and additional experts in the next hearing on March 29.

Meanwhile, the court has scheduled Ahok to present his defend plea on April 4. On April 11, the prosecutors will present their legal demand for Ahok.

On April 17, or two days before the Jakarta gubernatorial election, lawyers will present their defense against the prosecutors' demand while on April 25 prosecutors will respond to that defense.

On May 2, Ahok's lawyers will make their final defense plea. The judges are expected to hand down a ruling on May 9. (dan)

Source: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2017/03/22/ahok-has-two-hearings-left-to-prove-innocence.html