Source: Jakarta Post. Date: 22 Nov 90. Story Type: News.
Original Language: English. Dateline: Jakarta. Byline: None.
Text: Abridged. Brief Remark: Wheels of justice in Indonesia
while grinding exceedingly slowly not yet grinding exceedingly
fine.
CLEMENCY APPEAL IN DEATH SENTENCE CASE
Chan Sin Chong, better known as Steven, 35, told Jakarta Post
yesterday he would make the last legal effort available to him and
appeal that the death sentence be rescinded by seeking clemency
from the President.
He was sentenced to death by the West Jakarta District Court in
1986 for smuggling 420 grams of heroin from Johore to Jakarta.
Steven had earlier refused to ask for clemency because he
claimed innocence and felt the request would constitute an
admission of guilt.
"I am innocent," he said. He said he would ask for for
presidential clemency
because his [Malaysian] family as well as his Indonesian girl
friend urged him to do so.
He appeared close to tears as he talked about his elderly
father, 82, and mother, 70, and displayed their pictures.
Steven's lawyer, G.W. Bawengan, told Jakarta Post yesterday
evening that after he found out that the Supreme Court had refused
to review Steven's case, he went to Malaysia and found out that
the coffee shop where Steven was said to have handed over the
heroin did not exist.
"I will reveal this fact in the appeal for the President's
clemency," Bawengan said.
He added, however, that up to yesterday he had not received any
formal statement from the Supreme Court about the refusal to
review the case.
"I just knew about it from newspapers," he said.