Muchdi verdict ignores findings, top prosecutor says
The Jakarta Post | Fri, 01/02/2009 7:18 PM
Deputy attorney general for general crimes Abdul Hakim Ritonga on Friday questioned the recent court decision to acquit former top spy Maj. Gen. (ret) Muchdi Purwopranjono of any charges relating to the murder of human rights activist Munir.
The verdict, which was handed down by South Jakarta District Court on Wednesday, disregarded key findings in the case, Ritonga said. One of the findings that had been ignored was a statement under oath of former intelligence agent Budi Santoso, he said.
"The judicial review of Polly's case was accepted, and that was based Budi Santoso's statement," Ritonga said, as quoted by
tempointeraktif.com.
Ritonga was referring to Pollycarpus Budihari Priyanto who, after an appeal launched by prosecutors at the Supreme Court, was found guilty of poisoning Munir with arsenic during a flight from Jakarta to Singapore.
There was a clear connection between Budi's confession of having giving money from his former boss Muchdi to Pollycarpus, and the death of Munir, Ritonga said.
"Munir's activity had created discomfort and annoyed people at the National Intelligence Agency."
The South Jakarta Court had disregarded the findings because there was no other proof to back Budi's recorded statement, he said.
However, Ritonga argued, there had in fact been a statement made by Zhondy Anwar, an member of the intelligence agency's administrative staff, which supported Budi's statement, but it had been revoked. (and)
| 
|
|
|
|
|
|
|