Manado | Investigative Journalists : April 28, 2025,Eric Tengor’s legal counsel expressed optimism that the pretrial motion challenging the designation of “FN” as a suspect would be rejected by the judge. This statement was made after attending the recently held court hearing.
In his statement, the counsel emphasized that the elements of a criminal act must involve both mens rea (criminal intent) and actus reus (the execution of the act). “A person cannot be punished solely for having criminal intent without the actual execution of that intent,” he said to the media.
Regarding the adjournment of the hearing, the counsel explained that the reason given—namely that the judge was grieving the loss of a family member—was reasonable and should not be seen as an attempt to delay proceedings.
Furthermore, he stated that his side presented two additional witnesses to comply with the investigators’ request, in accordance with instructions from the public prosecutor. The re-examination of these witnesses was considered crucial to complete the case file.
When asked about other individuals mentioned during the trial, such as Albert, Agatha, and Roni Z, the legal counsel explained that these individuals were also involved in the case. However, only “FN” had been named as a suspect. He argued that in the management of the funds at the center of the case, there was a shared responsibility.
Regarding the financial loss, the counsel revealed that the entire loss had already been borne by the victim, who had initially entrusted the funds to his client.
Observing the trial proceedings, the counsel asserted that the hearings were conducted neutrally and without bias. “Both the applicant and the respondent were given equal opportunities to present evidence and witnesses,” he added.
Based on his legal analysis, he predicted that the pretrial motion filed by the applicant would be rejected. “This is not merely a subjective belief, but rather the result of an analysis showing that the core issue of this pretrial motion concerns the legality of the suspect designation, not a civil dispute,” he said.
He further emphasized the significance of the pretrial decision. If the motion is granted, the entire investigation process would be nullified and reset to the beginning. Conversely, if it is rejected, the criminal proceedings would continue to the main trial.
According to the legal counsel, Mr. Eric Tengor’s client faces a potential sentence of around four years in prison. However, the decision regarding the suspect’s detention rests entirely within the investigators’ discretion, taking various factors into consideration during the investigation process. ( S )
