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Jamaluddin murder trial opens, defendants face death penalty
The trial of three defendants accused of murdering Medan judge Jamaluddin opened with an indictment hearing via video link, with the prosecution pointing to "marital problems" as the motive for the crime.
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A stock image illustrates a court trial. (Shutterstock/MR. Yanukit)
T
he defendants accused of killing judge Jamaluddin are facing capital punishment as their trial for premeditated murder opened on Tuesday at the late judge's court, the Medan District Court.
The trial opened via video link from the court in the North Sumatra capital, in keeping with the social distancing policy during the COVID-19 outbreak. The indictment hearing was presided over by a three-member judicial panel comprising lead judge Erintuah Damanik, and judges Dahlia Panjaitan and Imanuel Tarigan.
The defendants are Jamaluddin's wife, identified as ZH, her lover JP and a man, RF, allegedly hired to carry out the killing.
Prosecutor Parada Situmorang stated in the indictment that the motive behind the killing was "marital problems". Jamaluddin had constantly engaged in spousal arguments with his wife, which contributed to the crime, he said.
He alleged that ZH had asked for help from her lover JP and the "hitman" RF to kill her husband.
The prosecution has brought a charge of premeditated murder against the three defendants under Article 340 of the Criminal Code.
"The defendants face capital punishment as stipulated in [the Criminal Code} for the crime they have committed," Parada said on Tuesday.
An earlier report on the case revealed that ZH allegedly decided to kill her husband after discovering that he had cheated on her.
Jamaluddin was killed around 1 a.m. on Nov. 29, 2019, when JP and RF allegedly smothered him to death while the victim was asleep. The two men reportedly searched for a place to dump Jamaluddin body at around 3 a.m.
The judge's body was found at around 1 p.m. on the same day, inside a black car parked at an oil palm plantation in Suka Dame village of Deli Serdang regency, North Sumatra.
The next hearing has been scheduled for April 7, when the defence will take the stand to hear the defendants and to present its witnesses.
The three defendants are being held at a local detention center during the trial, reported Antara News. (vny)
