Adiguna Sutowo charged with murder<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Adiguna Sutowo will be charged with murder and illegal possession
\nof the gun he allegedly used to kill bar worker Yohannes
\nBerchmans \"Rudy\" Haerudy Natong on Jan. 1.<\/p>\n
Chief of the intelligence unit at the Jakarta prosecutor's
\noffice, Farried Haryanto, said they were expecting the city
\npolice to hand over the suspect and the evidence as the next
\nprocedure before the prosecutors recommend a court trial.<\/p>\n
In a briefing on Monday, the prosecutors decided that the
\npolice charges, which state that the suspect violated Article 338
\nof the Criminal Code on murder, as well as the 1951 Emergency Law
\non illegal possession of firearms, would be accepted.<\/p>\n
Article 338 carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison,
\nand the Emergency Law has maximum sentence of life in prison.<\/p>\n
\"The charges are solid. I think we can send the case to court
\nin one or two weeks. We just need time to discuss the case with
\nall the senior prosecutors and the Attorney General's Office to
\nmake sure we have a strong case against the suspect,\" Farried
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The case, he said, would depend on mainly eyewitnesses and
\nforensic tests, as the police could not find Adiguna's
\nfingerprints on the gun allegedly used in the murder, nor on the
\n19 rounds of ammunition found in Adiguna's hotel room.<\/p>\n
The prosecutors decided not to charge Adiguna with drug abuse,
\nthus ending criticism on a possible effort to lessen the crime as
\nseveral police officers emphasized the fact that Adiguna, the
\nyounger brother of magnate Ponco Sutowo, was under the influence
\nof illicit drugs and should be charged with unintentional murder
\nor drug abuse.<\/p>\n
Separately, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said
\nthat they had received official notification from the
\nprosecutors. \"We will hand over Adiguna and all of the evidence
\non Wednesday, because we need time to prepare.\"<\/p>\n
Adiguna, who is currently being held at the city police
\nheadquarters is the son of tycoon Ibnu Sutowo, the former
\npresident of state oil and gas company Pertamina. His brother
\nPonco holds the majority of shares in the Jakarta Hilton
\nInternational Hotel, where the shooting took place.<\/p>\n
Many have expressed concerns that the well-connected
\nbusinessman could escape justice because of his power and wealth.<\/p>\n
However, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono instructed the
\npolice to investigate the case thoroughly, shortly after the case
\nmade headlines.<\/p>",
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