JAKARTA. Jakarta Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama is set to present one expert and three witnesses to testify in his defense in the 14th hearing of his blasphemy trial on Tuesday (14/3). 

One of Ahok’s lawyers, Josefina Syukur, said Edward Omar Sharif Hiariej, a criminal law expert from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta, would testify on Ahok's behalf.

She said the governor’s lawyer team would also present three witnesses, all from Bangka Belitung, who understood how Ahok had been dealing with pressure related to the Surah Al Maidah 51 verse since he was a Bangka Belitung governor candidate in 2007. 

“We will present Juhri, the former elections supervisory head for Bangka Belitung in 2007, and Suyanto, Ahok’s driver and friend in Bangka Belitung," Josefina told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. 

She added that a schoolmate of Ahok's, Fajrun, would also testify in the governor's defense. 

The lawyers previously planned to present Ferry Lukmantara, a former Tanjung Pandang elections supervisor who knew about the distribution of pamphlets that urged Bangka Belitung residents not to vote for a non-Muslim in the 2007 election. 

However, Ferry, who is a school teacher, cannot attend the hearing.  “Ferry cannot come because he has work assignments from his employer,” Josefina said. (ebf)

Editor: Sanny Cicilia