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Court grants Lukas' request to delay indictment hearing to next week
The Jakarta Corruption Court has rescheduled the suspended Papua governor's indictment hearing to next week so he can attend in person, with his lawyers saying Lukas wants to appear at court to show his state of ill health.
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Lukas Enembe speaks to journalists on Sept. 5, 2018 at the State Palace in Central Jakarta after his inauguration as Papua governor. (kompas.com/Ihsanuddin)
T
he presiding judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court has granted the request of the defendant, suspended Papua governor Lukas Enembe, to attend his bribery trial in person by rescheduling his indictment hearing to next week, despite concerns that his supporters might try and disrupt the hearing.
Prosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) were scheduled to read out the formal charges against one of Papua’s most popular and controversial figures on Monday, when the long-awaited trial began.
Lukas attended Monday’s indictment hearing by teleconference from the KPK detention center while his lawyers were present in the courtroom, in part because Lukas said he was too sick to travel to the court.
In addition, KPK prosecutors reportedly feared his supporters might swarm the courthouse in support of Lukas, according to various news outlets.
Presiding judge Rianto Adam Pontoh opened Monday’s hearing by asking Lukas if he felt well enough to proceed.
In response, Lukas’ lawyer Petrus Bala Pattyona promptly requested the bench to postpone the indictment hearing so Lukas could have a chance to recover and attend in person.
After a lengthy discussion among the judges, as well as between the KPK prosecutors and Lukas' lawyers, the bench granted the defense's request and rescheduled the indictment hearing to June 19 for Lukas to attend in person.
