Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 09/09/2008 8:33 PM | National
The South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday ruled it would continue with the trial of former top intelligence official Muchdi Purwopranjono, charged with premeditating the murder of a prominent human rights campaigner.
The court dismissed pleas by the defendant, a former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief, and his lawyers.
Last week, Muchdi pleaded not guilty to ordering the 2004 murder of Munir Said Thalib, claiming the indictment against him was flawed and based only on assumptions in determining his motives in the murder.
The panel of judges, however, rejected objections filed by Muchdi's lawyers and declared the prosecutors' indictment was not flawed.
"Because the indictment is lawful, the trial of Muchdi must continue," presiding judge Suharto told the packed courtroom.
He said the indictment determining the defendant's motives for murdering Munir would be investigated in upcoming hearings, in which 19 witnesses are scheduled to testify.
During the first hearing two weeks ago, prosecutors alleged Muchdi sought revenge against Munir, who was instrumental in the defendant's dismissal as head of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) only 52 days after his inauguration in 1998.
In an investigation by the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Munir revealed that several Kopassus soldiers were involved in the abduction between 1997 and 1998 of 13 activists critical of the government.
The incident led to Muchdi's dismissal, serving as a slap in his face because it effectively ended his military career, prosecutors said.
The South Jakarta District Court on Tuesday ruled it would continue with the trial of former top intelligence official Muchdi Purwopranjono, charged with premeditating the murder of a prominent human rights campaigner.
The court dismissed pleas by the defendant, a former State Intelligence Agency (BIN) deputy chief, and his lawyers.
Last week, Muchdi pleaded not guilty to ordering the 2004 murder of Munir Said Thalib, claiming the indictment against him was flawed and based only on assumptions in determining his motives in the murder.
The panel of judges, however, rejected objections filed by Muchdi's lawyers and declared the prosecutors' indictment was not flawed.
"Because the indictment is lawful, the trial of Muchdi must continue," presiding judge Suharto told the packed courtroom.
He said the indictment determining the defendant's motives for murdering Munir would be investigated in upcoming hearings, in which 19 witnesses are scheduled to testify.
During the first hearing two weeks ago, prosecutors alleged Muchdi sought revenge against Munir, who was instrumental in the defendant's dismissal as head of the Army's Special Forces (Kopassus) only 52 days after his inauguration in 1998.
In an investigation by the Commission on Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), Munir revealed that several Kopassus soldiers were involved in the abduction between 1997 and 1998 of 13 activists critical of the government.
The incident led to Muchdi's dismissal, serving as a slap in his face because it effectively ended his military career, prosecutors said.
