Dian Kuswandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 12/03/2008 7:14 AM | Headlines
State prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 15-year prison term for former top spy Muchdi Purwopranjono, whom they allege was the mastermind of the premeditated murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib more than four years ago.
The sentence is five years lighter than the punishment handed down to former pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto whom prosecutors said was recruited by Muchdi to carry out the assassination. Pollycarpus had faced life in prison.
Under the Criminal Code, premeditated murder carries a maximum sentence of death.
“The defendant has been proven lawfully and convincingly to have committed a criminal act,” prosecutor Cirus Sinaga told the packed South Jakarta District Court.
Reading the prosecutors’ statement, Cirus said Muchdi deserved the punishment because of his denials and frequent shows of “disrespect” for the trial, as well as the “damage he had done to the credibility of the state”, in particular the Indonesian Military, where he once served.
“Muchdi, a former Army Special Forces (Kopassus) chief, sought revenge against Munir, whom he considered responsible for his dismissal from the prestigious post only 52 days after taking office,” Cirus said.
Munir led an investigation into the abductions of 13 government critics between 1997 and 1998, which unveiled the involvement of a group of Kopassus soldiers dubbed “The Rose Team”.
Jasman Pandjaitan, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, dismissed speculation prosecutors were treating Muchdi and Pollycarpus differently. Jasman insisted the office was working with a sense of justice in its prosecution of Muchdi.
“Even though some people may consider Muchdi’s criminal act similar to Pollycarpus’, there were differences between the two,” Jasman said.
He added the fact Muchdi had received many awards for his service to the state had swayed prosecutors from seeking a lengthy prison sentence.
Prosecutors claim Defense Ministry documents and newspaper clippings showed the TNI chief dismissed Muchdi from his post because of his failure to control his subordinates.
“Muchdi’s position as BIN deputy head later allowed him to recruit Pollycarpus to carry out the plan to kill Munir,” Cirus said.
He added Muchdi assigned Pollycarpus as a corporate security officer at the national carrier Garuda, a job that allowed Pollycarpus to travel with Munir to Amsterdam.
Munir was found dead from arsenic poisoning on Sept. 7, 2004, on board a Garuda flight.
“Former Garuda president director Indra Setiawan admitted he received an official letter from the BIN to assign Pollycarpus as a corporate security officer,” prosecutors said.
“The police have also obtained call data records (CDR) that show 41 outgoing and incoming calls between Pollycarpus and Muchdi, meaning they knew each other.”
Prosecutors also said the testimony of Muchdi’s subordinate Budi Santoso confirmed the defendant’s role in the murder.
Budi, a former BIN director, said Pollycarpus claimed to have received an order from Muchdi to kill Munir.
State prosecutors on Tuesday sought a 15-year prison term for former top spy Muchdi Purwopranjono, whom they allege was the mastermind of the premeditated murder of human rights activist Munir Said Thalib more than four years ago.
The sentence is five years lighter than the punishment handed down to former pilot Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto whom prosecutors said was recruited by Muchdi to carry out the assassination. Pollycarpus had faced life in prison.
Under the Criminal Code, premeditated murder carries a maximum sentence of death.
“The defendant has been proven lawfully and convincingly to have committed a criminal act,” prosecutor Cirus Sinaga told the packed South Jakarta District Court.
Reading the prosecutors’ statement, Cirus said Muchdi deserved the punishment because of his denials and frequent shows of “disrespect” for the trial, as well as the “damage he had done to the credibility of the state”, in particular the Indonesian Military, where he once served.
“Muchdi, a former Army Special Forces (Kopassus) chief, sought revenge against Munir, whom he considered responsible for his dismissal from the prestigious post only 52 days after taking office,” Cirus said.
Munir led an investigation into the abductions of 13 government critics between 1997 and 1998, which unveiled the involvement of a group of Kopassus soldiers dubbed “The Rose Team”.
Jasman Pandjaitan, spokesman for the Attorney General’s Office, dismissed speculation prosecutors were treating Muchdi and Pollycarpus differently. Jasman insisted the office was working with a sense of justice in its prosecution of Muchdi.
“Even though some people may consider Muchdi’s criminal act similar to Pollycarpus’, there were differences between the two,” Jasman said.
He added the fact Muchdi had received many awards for his service to the state had swayed prosecutors from seeking a lengthy prison sentence.
Prosecutors claim Defense Ministry documents and newspaper clippings showed the TNI chief dismissed Muchdi from his post because of his failure to control his subordinates.
“Muchdi’s position as BIN deputy head later allowed him to recruit Pollycarpus to carry out the plan to kill Munir,” Cirus said.
He added Muchdi assigned Pollycarpus as a corporate security officer at the national carrier Garuda, a job that allowed Pollycarpus to travel with Munir to Amsterdam.
Munir was found dead from arsenic poisoning on Sept. 7, 2004, on board a Garuda flight.
“Former Garuda president director Indra Setiawan admitted he received an official letter from the BIN to assign Pollycarpus as a corporate security officer,” prosecutors said.
“The police have also obtained call data records (CDR) that show 41 outgoing and incoming calls between Pollycarpus and Muchdi, meaning they knew each other.”
Prosecutors also said the testimony of Muchdi’s subordinate Budi Santoso confirmed the defendant’s role in the murder.
Budi, a former BIN director, said Pollycarpus claimed to have received an order from Muchdi to kill Munir.
