Due To The Sick Linguist, The Jumhur Hidayat Session Was Postponed

Jumhur Hidayat Session in South Jakarta District Court / Antara

JAKARTA - The Panel of Judges at the South Jakarta District Court (PN Jaksel) has postponed the trial of the case for spreading fake news with the defendant Jumhur Hidayat, a high-ranking Indonesian Action Coalition, because the prosecutor could not bring a linguist to court.

The public prosecutor (JPU) told the Panel of Judges that the linguist who was scheduled to attend the South Jakarta District Court, Jakarta, Thursday, April 15 was unable to attend due to illness.

Chief Justice Agus Widodo also scheduled the trial to continue on Monday, April 19 at the South Jakarta District Court with an agenda of hearing the opinion of linguists presented by the public prosecutor.

However, before the head of the panel of judges closed the trial, the defendant's legal team asked for clarity on the time limit that the court would give to present witnesses and experts.

The attorney of Jumhur needed this certainty of time so that they also had sufficient time to present fact witnesses and experts who defended the defendants.

Regarding the question, Member Judge Nazar Effriadi said the Panel of Judges would provide equal opportunities for the legal team to prove the defendant's innocence.

"To you (the legal team) will be given the same rights," said Nazar during the trial, reported by Antara.

Meanwhile, Jumhur Hidayat also asked the Panel of Judges about the possibility that the prosecutor's linguist could be replaced by another party if he was unable to attend the hearing next week.

Chief Justice Agus Widodo said that his party hoped that the expert would recover from his illness during the trial.

"Hopefully (the expert) will recover. Monday, April 19, yes. Hopefully we are all healthy," said the head of the Panel of Judges in response to Friday's question.

However, Jumhur's team of attorneys admitted that the oral statements given by the Panel of Judges were insufficient so that they guaranteed that they would get the same time as the public prosecutor to present witnesses and experts at the trial.

"We said what about the principle of fast, simple, low cost trial, (it) was not explained. How about the principle of rapid trial? No (judge) answered. How about legal certainty for the defendant? The goal is like that. We seek justice in here (court), ”said one of Jumhur's lawyers, Oky Wiratama, when met outside the courtroom at the South Jakarta District Court.

He hoped that the Halim Council would obey the provisions of the legislation, especially the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).

He continued to explain that his client's detention period would end on May 3, 2021.

If there is no certainty regarding the extension of the detention period or the question of the time limit for the prosecutor, Jumhur's attorney is worried that the available time to present witnesses and experts is only about two weeks left.

"Our experience has been that we were hampered in submitting evidence, because in the trials I have experienced, (the judge) gave the public prosecutor the widest possible opportunity to prove it. However, when it was the turn of the legal adviser, the judge said not to take a long time. The detention is over. Based on that experience, we don't want it to be repeated in this case, "said Oky.