West Java Police Presents Expert At Vina Cirebon Pretrial Session, Pegi Setiawan Camp: Must Be Independent

Attorney Pegi Setiawan, Marwan Iswandi (right) when giving a statement at the Bandung District Court, West Java, Thursday (4/7/2024). ANTARA/Rubby Jovan

JAKARTA - Pedi Setiawan's attorney, Marwan Iswandi, hopes that the legal expert witness presented by the respondent, namely the West Java (West Java) Regional Police, will be independent in giving his statement in the follow-up of the pretrial hearing submitted by his client.

"Although this expert is an expert who was brought in by the Regional Police, he must be independent, professional and he cannot need to go there. He is risking integrity," Marwan said at the Bandung District Court (PN), Thursday, July 4, which was confiscated by Antara.

Marwan said that his party had prepared a number of questions asked by his legal team to face the continuation of the trial today.

"From the beginning, our preparations were ready, and this is a witness from the Polda. What is clear is that what we are asking is the problem of our client's suspect. Why is our client a suspect, according to the expert, and why is he being detained," he said.

Furthermore, he still believes that later during this pretrial hearing decision, Pegi Setiawan will be released and hopes that the Bandung District Court judge will remain independent.

"I still believe 99 percent are free. The important thing is that I say the judge is truly independent. The judge is independent, he is not under pressure. People don't get wind. Yes, we'll see what the court's decision will be," he said.

Meanwhile, the West Java Regional Police's legal team presented legal experts in the follow-up trial of the pretrial for the murder of Vina and Eky in Cirebon which was proposed by Pegi Setiawan.

"Yes, we are presenting expert witnesses. Of course, later he will present several questions, both from us and the petitioners, who God willing, will explain comprehensively regarding the material issues asked," said Head of the West Java Regional Police Legal Division, Kombes Pol Nurhadi Handayani.

The witnesses who were present at the pretrial hearing were Pancasila University criminal law expert Agus Surono.

He revealed that in the continuation of the pretrial trial this time his party did not present fact witnesses, because it had not yet been included in the subject matter.

"Just an expert witness. Because this is not the main trial of the case, this is just a pretrial that is only a matter of formula," he concluded.