T

ANGERANG: Murder case convict and former Corruption Eradication Commission chairman Antasari Azhar has been denied permission to attend his daughter’s wedding reception scheduled for Sunday.

Antasari said the Tangerang penitentiary warden would only permit him to leave jail to attend siraman (a pre-wedding ritual involving the parents of the bride) on Thursday and the wedding ceremony on March 9.

“I just want to clarify media reports about my plan to attend the wedding party. Controversial media reports have disturbed my family,” he told a press conference at the penitentiary on Monday.

Law and Human Rights Ministry spokesman Goncang Raharjo said that Antasari would be tightly escorted by the police and penitentiary officers.

Antasari was sentenced to 18 years in prison by the South Jakarta District Court for masterminding the murder of Putra Rajawali Banjaran director Nasruddin Zulkarnaen, who was shot in the temple while driving his car at the Modern Land housing estate, Tangerang municipality, in 2009.

Former South Jakarta Police chief Williardi Wizar and media businessman Sigit Haryo Wibisono were also sentenced to 12 and 15 years respectively for orchestrating the murder with Antasari.