his family oso one kind de.
June 25, 2009
NTU STUDENT'S DEATH FALL
Request to switch lawyer
By Kimberly Spykerman
(From left) Mr Hartanto Widjaja, Mr William Widjaja, and Mrs
Huang Lixian have requested that their Singapore lawyer Mr Shashi
Nathan be replaced. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW
FOR the second time, the family of David Hartanto Widjaja
submitted a letter to the State Coroner Victor Yeo requesting a
suspension of the proceedings of the inquiry into their son's
death.
Last Wednesday, the family had called for a suspension
requesting for nine additional names to be called to the stand as
witnesses.
This time however, they requested that their Singapore lawyer Mr
Shashi Nathan be replaced by criminal lawyer Subhas Anandan.
Mr David Widjaja, then aged 21 and in his final year at Nanyang
Technological University (NTU), allegedly stabbed Associate
Professor Chan Kap Luk before falling to his death in March.
The Widjaja family said their Indonesian lawyer had been in
touch with Mr Anandan a few days back.
Mr Anandan said he was approached for reasons that "do not have
to be stated in court".
Mr Nathan said that "none of this information had been
communicated to him by the family prior to this morning's
hearing".
Mr Anandan however said he would not be able to take on the case
unless proceedings were further adjourned to give him sufficient
time to prepare for the case as his hands were full.
The State Coroner rejected the family's application saying that
this was already the last day of the second tranche and that 'in
the interest of justice" it would be better for David' brother,
William Widjaja, to finish giving his testimony.
He also added that for a new counsel to be appointed this late a
stage, the counsel must "be willing and able to act, and act for
the family".
Mr Yeo gave the family two options: Continue with Mr Nathan, or
proceed without a counsel to represent them.
The Widjaja family went with the former.
Mr Nathan said that he would help the family to the end as he
did not want to delay the proceedings.
