Presiding judge Arthur Hangewa told Prita Mulyasari to wait for the court to give a verdict on her criminal case against Omni International Hospital.
“We ask Ibu Prita to be patient,” he told Prita at the Tangerang District Court on Tuesday. “We, the panel of judges will decide within two weeks.”
Slamet Yuwono, a member of Prita’s defense lawyer team, read out counter statements against the prosecutors’s demand during Tuesday’s trial.
He said a legal dispute settlement would not occur between Omni and Prita until the court decided the case.
“Althouth Omni International Hospital has officially withdrawn its civil lawsuit against Prita, it is unclear whether Omni management will meet Prita’s requests,” he said.
Slamet explained that Prita had requested two Omni doctors dr. Hengky Gosal and dr. Grace Hilza Yarmen Nalen come to the panel and withdraw their testimonies given in previous sessions on goodwill to settle the legal dispute.
“This is more important than the hospital’s statement to withdraw its civil lawsuit against Prita,” he said.
Prita faced civil and criminal charges from the hospital for defamation after sending emails to her friends, saying it mistreated her.
She lost the civil lawsuit and was fined Rp 204 million to the hospital.
Concerned citizens, from elementary students to street musicians, have supported her by donating money and coins to help pay for the fine.
Prita’s trial is considered as a symbol of consumers’ struggle to defend their rights to get better healthcare services, making donation for her expanded to many other areas aside from her hometown in Tangerang.
The total donation reached Rp 510 million as of Tuesday.
The hospital later dropped the civil case.
Meanwhile, prosecutor Riyadi insisted on continuing the criminal case against Prita, although he admitted that Omni’s decision to withdraw its civil lawsuit against her would likely lower her sentence.
The prosecutor demanded the court sentence Prita to six months in prison for defamation.
“The criminal case on trial cannot be halted because it was based on complaints filed by hospital doctors, which has nothing to do with the civil lawsuit,” Riyadi asserted.
“The trial will go ahead until the court rules the case.”
As morale support for Prita, former Trade and Industry Minister Fahmi Idris was, for the second time, present at the defamation trial.
Fahmi said his presence showed his concern for Prita and the legal institution.
