Tommy defendants deny committing crime<\/p>\n
Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang<\/p>\n
None of the three defendants tried at the Tangerang District
\nCourt on Wednesday for harboring fugitive Hutomo 'Tommy' Mandala
\nPutra expressed regret at protecting the youngest son of former
\nPresident Soeharto during his flight from justice.<\/p>\n
\"I knew that Tommy was a fugitive and I did not report his
\nwhereabouts to the police because I wanted to help him,\"
\nRegina Ursula Sandy, 37, one of the defendants, told the court.<\/p>\n
Responding to prosecutor Puji Raharjo's questions, Sandy,
\npopularly known as Sandy Harun, said that she had advised and
\npersuaded Tommy to surrender soon because she had a strong
\nfeeling the police would soon discover his whereabouts.<\/p>\n
Former model Sandy strongly denied having let Tommy stay in
\nher home. \"My former husband Setiawan Djodi had threatened to
\nshoot me if I allowed Tommy to stay in my residence,\" said
\nSandy. Setiawan Djodi is a noted businessman.<\/p>\n
The other two defendants were Rossana Hasan Razak, 55, widow
\nof a former Army officer, and Rossana's son Bill Haq, 25.<\/p>\n
Tommy was sentenced to 18 months in prison, along with
\nbusinessman Richardo Gelael, for corruption by the Supreme Court
\nin September 2000, but he escaped, instead of going to jail.<\/p>\n
Sandy said that Tommy had asked her for the phone number of
\nRossana's home at Jl. Maleo II, Bintaro Jaya, Pondok Aren,
\nTangerang, where Tommy was caught by the police on Nov. 28, 2001.<\/p>\n
However, defendant Rossana denied having rented her house to
\nTommy as a hiding place, saying she had first refused Tommy's
\nrequest and told him to surrender.<\/p>\n
She said, however, she finally allowed Tommy to stay in her
\nresidence for only two days, after Tommy urged her again.<\/p>\n
\"I took pity on him; I simply wanted to help him and did not
\nrealize that what I did for Tommy was against the law. Therefore
\nI never felt guilty,\" she told the court.<\/p>\n
She added that Tommy had visited her house three times in
\nAugust, October, and November 2001. He had stayed ten days in the
\nhouse before the police arrested him in November 2001, she added.<\/p>\n
A similar statement of innocence was also made by Bill Haq. He
\nsaid that he had not expected to be tried for just following what
\nhis mother had said (about helping Tommy).<\/p>\n
\"I just followed my mother's orders. I had once taken Tommy
\nhome (to his mother's house) from Pondok Indah, and once from the
\nJakarta Stock Exchange. I am very sorry for doing what my mother
\nhad asked.\"<\/p>\n
The defendants are charged with violating Articles 55, 64 and
\n221 of the Criminal Code. The Articles carry a maximum punishment
\nof nine months in jail.<\/p>\n
Presiding judge Zainal Arifin adjourned the trial to Sept. 18,
\nwhen prosecutors will make their sentence demand.<\/p>\n
The trial of the three defendants has, however, proceeded
\nwithout the presence of Tommy as a key witness. Tommy always
\nfailed to show up until he was declared guilty and sentenced to
\n14 years' imprisonment. Now he is serving his sentence at
\nNusakambangan prison, Central Java, on an island.<\/p>\n
Tommy was found guilty of masterminding the killing of Supreme
\nCourt Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, fleeing justice and
\nillegal possession of firearms.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tommy-defendants-deny-committing-crime-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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