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ix of the seven witnesses due to give evidence in the Blowfish trial failed to show up on Wednesday at the tightly-guarded South Jakarta District Court, over safety fears.

“The court is safe for anyone. The police have given their word to ensure their safety. Prosecutors have to make sure the witnesses will testify next week so that the trial session won’t be useless,” presiding judge Singit Elier said before adjourning the session until Monday.

The only witness present, Adri Desas Furyanto from the South Jakarta police, testified that he found two bodies lying on the floor of the Blowfish night spot on Jl. Gatot Subroto, South Jakarta, around midnight of April 4, after a brawl. He said one of them was still alive, but died on the way to the hospital.

Kanor Lolo and Bernardus Malelak stand trial for allegedly being involved in the brawl, which killed M. Soleh and Yopi Inggratubun.

The two defendants were attacked by several men before the second trial session last month.

A week later, before the next trial session, a deadly brawl between two gangs from Flores and Ambon broke out on Jl. Ampera Raya in front of the court building, leaving three people dead and 12 injured.

The police, severely criticized for their failure to control events, then deployed about 900 officers to safeguard Wednesday’s session, which took place without incident.

Later that day, the court held another session for two other accused persons allegedly involved in the case, David Too and Rando Lili.

Head of the defense team Tigor Simatupang said that the four defendants were charged with violating Article 170 of the Criminal Code on mob violence and group assault, which carries a maximum penalty of 12 years in jail in the event of violence causing death.

They were all from Flores, while the victims, Soleh and Yopi, came from Kei Islands in Maluku.

According to Tigor, the Blowfish brawl was triggered by the resentment of a bar visitor, Albar, who was turned down by the security guards when he tried to enter the bar. He later came back with dozens of his friends, who were armed with sharp weapons and guns.

“They threatened to destroy the place, leveling it down to the ground,” he said. (ipa)