An IT expert testifying in the high-profile murder trial of former antigraft leader Antasari Azhar confirmed Tuesday Antasari had never sent threatening messages to victim Nasruddin Zulkarnaen.
Agung Harsoyo from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) said he came to this conclusion after analyzing cell phone call records from Antasari, Nasruddin and another defendant, Sigid Haryo Wibisono.
“Based on the [cell phone] records, there were no [threatening] messages sent from Antasari’s cell phones between February and March last year,” Agung said at the hearing at the South Jakarta District Court.
Antasari, former chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), is being tried for allegedly masterminding the murder of Nasruddin, the former director of state pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Tangerang in March.
Tangerang District Court last month handed down five lengthy prison sentences in the first verdicts issued in this murder case, hinting at the possibility of a heavier sentence for Antasari.
Daniel Daen Sabon was sentenced to 18 years in prison for shooting the victim twice in the head, while his four co-defendants — Heri Santosa, Hendrikus Kia Walen, Eduardus Ndopo Mbete and Fransiskus Tadon Kerans — each received 17 years for their roles in the murder.
In their indictment, prosecutors said Antasari had a motive to have Nasruddin killed because he was being blackmailed by Nasruddin, who caught Antasari in flagrante delicto with the victim’s third wife, Rhani Juliani.
They also accused Antasari of sending Nasruddin death threats via his cell phone in March last year.
To verify the accusation, the judges last month granted Antasari’s defense team and Agung permission to analyze cell phone records from Antasari, Nasruddin and media tycoon Sigid Haryo Wibisono, who allegedly helped provide Antasari financial support to pay the hit men.
From Antasari’s six cell phone numbers, Agung said he found no proof Antasari had sent any messages to Nasruddin’s cell phone between February and March.
“According to the records, they only had a phone conversation once in February for about nine minutes,” he said.
“Nasruddin had also sent four text messages to Antasari, but there was no record showing Antasari replied to any of them.”
Agung said it was possible the text message had been sent using a commercial Web server facility which could deliver text messages with a predetermined cell phone number. He suggested the court ask cellular phone operators to confirm this.
The defense lawyers then requested a warrant from judges to do so but the request was turned down citing the need for court efficiency.
The next hearing, which will be held on Thursday, will be the 22nd hearing in Antasari’s trial, which began in October last year.
According to the schedule, prosecutors will read out their indictment next week.
