The Jakarta Post, September 27, 2006
Police deny torturing executed Poso convict
Yemris Fointuna, The Jakarta Post, Maumere
The National Police denied Tuesday accusations that one of three Catholic convicts,
Dominggus da Silva, was tortured before being executed last week.
The family of da Silva, who was executed for inciting violence against Muslims in
Central Sulawesi in 2000, insisted that his body be exhumed for a second time to
check for evidence of torture.
Da Silva's adoptive father Anselmus da Silva said that the autopsy report would be
used by the family and his lawyers to file a lawsuit over the execution with the
International Court of Justice.
"We're convinced that the execution was not done in accordance with procedures,
which explains why the executors buried the body immediately without informing his
family members," Anselmus said.
However, the International Court of Justice does not accept reports and complaints
from individuals.
However, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paulus Purwoko said that the
family's remarks were made based on information from people claiming to have seen
the body, who told them that it appeared to have four bullet wounds, a stab wound and
some bruises and broken bones.
Da Silva was originally buried in Palu, Central Sulawesi, where the three convicts were
executed, before his body was exhumed by his lawyers and church members. The
body was bathed, a wake was held at the local Catholic Church and the body was
then sent back to da Silva's hometown in Maumere, West Nusa Tenggara, for a
proper burial.
"The execution was conducted in line with technical instructions from the National
Police Headquarters," Purwoko said as quoted by Detikcom online news agency.
He said that there were a dozen shooters for each of the three condemned men, half
of whom were given blanks without their knowledge.
Anselmus said that the decision to exhume da Silva's body had been made in
consultation with da Silva's lawyer Roy Rening and Petrus Salestinus.
"The two lawyers have given their approval for exhuming the body," he said.
The autopsy was originally scheduled to be held upon the arrival of the da Silva's body
in Maumere on Sunday, but was not conducted due to a number of considerations,
Anselmus said.
He further said that before exhuming the body, his family would sent a letter to Sikka
Police for the sake of security.
Indications of torture were reportedly found on the bodies of the two other executed
convicts. Rening said that there were five bullet wounds on the bodies of both
Fabianus Tibo and Marinus Riwu.
"An autopsy had been conducted on the bodies of both da Silva and Riwu," Rening
said without commenting on the plan of da Silva's family to exhume the body again for
another autopsy.
Palu Police reported that an autopsy had already been conducted before da Silva was
buried in Palu, however, the family say it was conducted without their knowledge.
Rening said that in line with a 1964 law on executions, the firing squad was only
allowed to fire one shot at the heart.
"If the first shot is done and an examination shows that the convict is still alive, the
firing squad will be allowed to aim their rifle at the head above the ear.
"The fact is that the executed trio were shot several times," Rening said.
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