Cebongan Trial Prepares Teleconference for Traumatized Witnesses

TEMPO.CO, Yogyakarta - The Cebongan Penitentiary and the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK) are preparing to install teleconferencing devices for the Cebongan Prison Attack by members of the Special Forces Command (Kopassus).

Aris Bimo, Cebongan Penitentiary's public relations officer, declined to name which room would be use for the teleconference. However, he said that the room is still within the prison complex.

LSPK member Inspector General (Ret.) Teguh Sudarsono, said the LSPK had proposed to utilize teleconferencing in the trial to the Supreme Court. The teleconference will be done to hear the testimonies of 42 witnesses; comprising of 11 guards and 31 prisoners.

The witnesses will testify for the 12 suspects in the Cebongan Prison attack case that killed four prisoners on March 23. Suspects are members of the Menjangan Kartosuro Sukoharjo Group II Kopassus from Central Java.

Albeit not having received an answer from the Supreme Court yet, the LSPK is still preparing the necessary equipment for the teleconference, which will be use to accommodate witnesses who are still suffering from psychological trauma after seeing four prisoners being shot to death.

"We are prepared for it, regardless of whether the equipment will be used or not," said Teguh.

He firmly stated that the teleconference was not proposed to lower the credibility of the military. "That proposal is to help restore the public's trust," he said. In addition, Teguh said that the teleconference would help keep the witnesses' psychological condition.

Tuguh said that the Indonesian military is currently under global scrutiny because of the Cebongan case. "So the trial will be is done openly."

MUH SYAIFULLAH