29 Jan 2003

Witnesses in Theys Eluay murder trial unable to identify any of those accused

5:34 pm on 29 January 2003

Five witnesses giving evidence in the trial of seven soldiers charged with murdering Papuan separatist leader, Theys Eluay, have told the Indonesian court they could not identify any of the defendants.

Chief Eluay was found dead in his car on the outskirts of Jayapura in November 2001 after attending a dinner hosted by the Army's Special Force, Kopassus.

One of the five witnesses - all from Papua - said she saw him leaving the compound in his vehicle accompanied by an unarmed man.

She said Chief Eluay's vehicle was escorted by another van but she was unable to identify those in it.

She and the other witnesses all said they only knew about the killing from the print and electronic media.

Lt Col Hartomo, the highest ranking defendant, who is the local Kopassus chief, dismissed the woman's testimony saying he was one of those who accompanied Chief Eluay out of the office to his car.

He told the military tribunal there was no other man in the vehicle with the chief.