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David's family to present new evidence to a higher court

The family of the late David Hartanto Widjaya, plans to submit new evidence to the Singaporean High Court, which they say may prove their son was murdered

Ary Hermawan (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Sat, August 1, 2009

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David's family to present new evidence to a higher court

T

he family of the late David Hartanto Widjaya, plans to submit new evidence to the Singaporean High Court, which they say may prove their son was murdered.

"We will submit new evidence to the High Court. If this fails, there is still a chance we can appeal to the Supreme Court," Christovita Wiloto, who leads an advocacy team for the family, told a press conference Friday as reported by Antara news agency.

"By submitting new evidence we expect there will be another Coroner's Court session overruling the previous verdict."

The Coroner's Court ruled Wednesday that David, 21, who was studying at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) committed suicide on March 2 by jumping from a campus building, after allegedly stabbing his professor with a kitchen knife.

Christovita went further by saying the team was studying the possibility of taking the case to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

"Taking the case to the international court, however, requires support from all parties especially from the government," he said.

David's family and lawyers believe they are facing a massive wall of conspiracy in court proceedings in Singapore.

"We need stronger efforts and political pressure from the Indonesian government so that we can uphold justice," said Christovita.

"Our fight does not end with the verdict, it has just started."

The case can not be heard at the criminal court after the Coroner's Court ruled that David had committed suicide.

Singaporean prosecutors have also rejected submission or the objection and legal response filed by David's family.

However, Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said it was impossible for the Indonesian government to pressure the Singaporean government about the country's coroner's inquest into David's death.

"This is a legal matter. There is a limit to the government's role," he told reporters.

"We cannot interfere with their judiciary as we would never want foreign parties to meddle in our own legal affairs."

The government, however, did offer to help the family file a request to the Singaporean High Court to review Wednesday's verdict that ruled that David committed suicide, and was not murdered as his family believe.

"But this will not re-open the case," said Hassan.

Commenting on the family's plan to bring the case to the international court, Hassan said there was no way the family could take the case to the ICJ or the International Criminal Court (ICC) because the international courts deal with high profile cases such as territorial disputes and genocide.

After all, Hassan added, both Indonesia and Singapore had not ratified the Rome Statute and were therefore not member states of the ICC.

"Please don't create false hope for the family," he said.

Hartanto Wijaya, David's father, accused the government of failing to help him seek justice in Singapore where he believed the local authorities conspired to murder his son and cover up the case.

Hassan said the government had assisted David's family in their efforts to shed light on the case and even offered them a lawyer when Hartanto said he was planning to change lawyers. "But the offer was rejected," said the minister

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