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Jessica’s lawyers report judge to Judicial Commission
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Murder suspect Jessica Kumala Wongso (second left) stands trial at the Central Jakarta District Court on July 27. (Antara/Rivan Awal Lingga)
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awyers of murder suspect Jessica Kumala Wongso reported Judge Binsar Gultom to the Judicial Commission on Thursday, claiming that Binsar had violated the judge’s code of conduct by ignoring the presumption of innocence during a court hearing.
On July 27, Binsar said during a hearing that it was not a problem that there were no witnesses who saw anyone place anything in Wayan Mirna’s Salihin Vietnamese coffee, which was allegedly laced with cyanide.
In his claim, Binsar referred to the 2015 murder case of 12-year-old child that proceeded despite the lack of a witness in Jasinga, Bogor, West Java, in which he sentenced the defendant to life in prison.
Jessica’s lawyer said that according to a Supreme and Judicial court regulation, judges must treat all parties fairly and should not have the sole intention of sentencing a suspect.
“Binsar has implied a threat for the verdict. He has also dismissed information from witnesses as legal evidence in the courtroom,” Jessica’s lawyer, Hidayat Bostam, said on Thursday, adding that all witnesses had acknowledged that they did not see Jessica put anything in Mirna’s drink.
In a letter signed by Hidayat, Sordame Purba and James Pangaribuan, the lawyers demanded that the commission examine and monitor Binsar’s performance according to the law. Previously, one of Jessica’s other lawyers, Otto Hasibuan, called for the removal of Binsar from the Central Jakarta District Court bench.
Jessica has been charged with the premeditated murder of Mirna on Jan. 6 by lacing Mirna’s iced coffee with cyanide. (bbn)
