Jakarta court postpones extortion trial pending pre-trial ruling

A Jakarta court has postponed the initial hearing for a case alleging extortion and threats against a young businessman, identified by the initials VLC. The defendant in the case is Bangun Paulus Tudungta.

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The examination of the main case cannot continue until the praperadilan is finished. The hearing will be held on August 10, 2026.

The Central Jakarta District Court's presiding judge, Achmad Rasyid Purba, along with judges Muhammad Firman Akbar and Anton Rizal Setiawan, announced the delay. The main trial cannot proceed until the ongoing pre-trial motion (praperadilan) reaches a final legal decision. "The examination of the main case cannot continue until the praperadilan is finished. The hearing will be held on August 10, 2026," stated Judge Purba during the court session.

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The main case is postponed if there is a praperadilan. The praperadilan is ongoing, so the main case is postponed. We all heard earlier, the main case is postponed until August 10, which is an estimate if the praperadilan case has been decided.

The initial hearing was set to include the reading of the indictment by the public prosecutor. However, due to the pending pre-trial proceedings, the judges decided to adjourn the main case. The defense counsel for the accused, Iskandar Halim Munthe, acknowledged the postponement as a standard legal consequence when a pre-trial motion is under review. "The main case is postponed if there is a praperadilan. The praperadilan is ongoing, so the main case is postponed. We all heard earlier, the main case is postponed until August 10, which is an estimate if the praperadilan case has been decided," Munthe said.

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On behalf of the family, we believe the extortion has already occurred, even twice. First, when the money was returned, second, when the police report was made. The mens rea, the police report was made to commit extortion again.

The victim's lawyer, Refly Harun, expressed hope that the trial would fully reveal the facts surrounding the alleged extortion and threats. "On behalf of the family, we believe the extortion has already occurred, even twice. First, during the return of the money, second, when the police report was made. The mens rea, the police report was made to commit extortion again," Harun stated. He added that the trial would serve as a platform to examine all criminal elements, both aggravating and mitigating for the defendant.

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We hope that all the facts of the trial will clearly explain the alleged extortion and threats experienced by our client.