Ahmad Dhani's Son Walks Free Over Deadly Car Crash
A Mitsubishi Lancer driven by the youngest son of rock star Ahmad Dhani was involved in a crash that killed seven on Sept. 8, 2013. (JG Photo/Muhammad Habibie)
Jakarta. An East Jakarta court acquitted the teenage son of an Indonesian rock star on Wednesday, bringing to an end legal proceedings in a tragedy that cost seven lives and drew international attention on Indonesia's approach to the rule of law.
"After much consideration, the panel of judges orders the defendant to be returned to his parents," presiding judge Petriyanti told the East Jakarta District Court on Wednesday.
The 13-year-old son of Ahmad Dhani — a rock star, music producer and Indonesian Idol judge — was driving a Mitsubishi Lancer at at least 176 kilometers per hour on the Jagorawi toll road during the early hours of Sept. 8, 2013 when he lost control of the car. The boy was unable to retain control of the vehicle and it careened over the lane divider into a Daihatsu minivan transporting 13 people toward Jakarta. Seven people were killed and eight others injured.
It emerged in the aftermath of the incident that Ahmad Dahani had given his young son the car as a present when he was four years below the legal driving age. Critics called on police to press charges against Ahmad, but they refused.
Ahmad responded to criticism that he had given his young son an expensive high-powered car to drive himself around on one of the most dangerous roads in Indonesia by blaming others. He alleged that his son's actions were a function of a society that did not have properly enforced road laws — rather than accepting parental responsibility.
Dhani set up a foundation to pay substantial sums to the families of the victims, but the Jakarta Globe could not confirm how much he had paid out.
Petriyanti said the case has been settled out of court and therefore the judges decided the boy should be returned to his parents.
"The victims' families did not wish for this case to become a legal matter," Petriyanti said. "We believe his parents will be able to redirect the defendant on the right track."
Prosecutors had previously sought a two-year probation period for Ahmad's son.
Since the incident, Ahmad's presence in the public eye has only grown. He attracted national attention with statements abdicating all guilt for the fatal crash and international attention when he released a Nazi-themed campaign video supporting Great Indonesia Movement (Gerindra) Party presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto, to the tune of Queen's "We Will Rock You."
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Posted by: "Sunny" <ambon@tele2.se>
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