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Fri, Nov 06, 2009
The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network
Indonesia's most famous caddy finally enters courtroom

Rhani Juliani, the key witness in high-profile trial involving former anti-graft body leader Antasari Azhar, finally showed up to give her first testimony to a hearing Thursday.

Wearing a black blazer and trouser, Rhani, 22, arrived at 2 p.m. at the South Jakarta District Court under tight security from dozens of police officers, preventing journalists getting too close to her.

She was directed to the court's main courtroom to appear at a scheduled closed hearing.

Presiding judge Herri Swantoro, at a previous hearing, had ordered that Rhani's testimony would be heard in a closed courtroom upon consideration that they would be cross-checking facts on the alleged sexual affair between the defendant and the witness.

Rhani's most-awaited testimony will prove whether the alleged revenge motive behind Nasruddin murder is true or not.

Antasari, former chairman of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), is currently on trial for allegedly masterminding the murder of Nasruddin Zulkarnaen, a director of state pharmaceutical company PT Putra Rajawali Banjaran.

Nasruddin, to whom Rhani was married, was killed in a drive-by shooting near Modernland golf course in Tangerang in March this year.

Rhani used to work as a golf caddy at Modernland, usually caddying for the golf course's prominent members, including Antasari and Nasruddin.

In their indictment, the prosecutors had recounted details of a sexual affair between Nasruddin's third wife Rhani Juliani and Antasari. Nasruddin had caught the pair in flagrante delicto in a room at the Grand Mahakam Hotel in South Jakarta in May last year and had later hounded Antasari's family over the affair.

The prosecutors believed that this had triggered Antasari to have Nasruddin killed.

 
 
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