Jakarta police defend cyanide murder case

Jakarta police have defended their actions in the high profile cyanide murder case involving two former Australian students, saying the ongoing detention of their prime suspect is justified.

In a case that has dominated headlines in Indonesia, Jessica Kumala is accused of killing 27-year-old Wayan Mirna Salihin, whom she studied with in Australia.

It is alleged the pair, along with their friend Hani, met up at a popular Jakarta cafe on January 6 and that Jessica laced Mirna's Vietnamese iced coffee with cyanide.

Moments after sipping it Mirna collapsed and began convulsing before she was confirmed dead a short time later in hospital.

But Jessica, who denies the charges, has launched a pre-trial motion in court claiming her ongoing detention is a "gross violation" of human rights and that a search warrant of her home last month was done without the correct legal documentation.

Her legal team has called on Central Jakarta District Court to find her arrest was illegal and order she be released from custody immediately.

They have also pushed the court to lift her six-month travelling ban.

But on Wednesday, lawyers representing police told the court that "the investigation process has complied with legal procedure".

Mirna and Jessica reportedly studied together at Sydney's Billy Blue College before graduating in 2008.

Late last month Jessica was arrested over the alleged premeditated murder and named by police as a suspect.

The court is expected to rule on the pre-trial motion before March 2.