Tommy spurns Sidiq's trial with 7th absence<\/p>\n
Urip Hudiono, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Though currently in town for a health check-up, convicted felon
\nHutomo \"Tommy\" Mandala Putra, former president Soeharto's
\nyoungest son, managed for the seventh time on the trot to call in
\nsick for a trial in which he has been summoned to present
\ntestimony.<\/p>\n
He is currently confined to the luxury Kartika Pavilion suites
\nat the Gatot Subroto Army Hospital with an undefined ailment, so
\nthe Central Jakarta District Court had to reschedule his
\ntestimony on Feb. 16.<\/p>\n
\"Tommy said he would attend the trial while he was in Jakarta,
\nbut during his medical check-up at the hospital, the doctors
\nwould not allow him to leave,\" Tommy's lawyer Elza Syarief told
\nthe judges.<\/p>\n
The court has been trying to get Tommy to appear at the trial
\nof Islamic boarding school leader Abdullah Sidiq Muin, who is
\ncharged with marking up his \"fee\" to request a pardon on Tommy's
\nbehalf from then president Abdurrahman Wahid to Rp 15 billion
\n(US$1.76 billion).<\/p>\n
The session was delayed for three hours, pending confirmation
\non Tommy's attendance.<\/p>\n
Tommy was not the only no-show. His eldest sister and current
\npresidential candidate Siti Hardiyanti \"Tutut\" Rukmana also
\njilted the judges.<\/p>\n
Antara reported that Tutut and Soeharto visited Tommy on
\nTuesday evening at the hospital under tight security for around
\ntwo hours. Soeharto has been declared suffering permanent brain
\ndamage so that he would not be able to stand trial for
\naccusations of enriching himself, families and cronies by
\nembezzling more than US$600 million.<\/p>\n
Tommy's absence brought into question his -- and possibly the
\ncourt's -- seriousness in prosecuting the case.<\/p>\n
Article 159 line 2 of the Criminal Code Procedures authorizes
\na presiding judge to summon witnesses to the court by force, if
\nnecessary, but it does not specify at what point force can be
\nused.<\/p>\n
Appearing at the court, Sudiro, Tommy's doctor from Batu
\nPenitentiary on Nusakambangan island in Central Java, explained
\nthat his patient had a cocktail of symptoms including, \"chest
\npains, vertigo, dyspepsia and depression\".<\/p>\n
Tommy is currently serving a 15-year term at the penitentiary
\nfor illegal weapons possession and ordering the assassination of
\nSupreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, who in 2000
\nsentenced him to 18 months in jail in a graft case.<\/p>\n
In his bid to get pardoned by President Wahid after that
\ncorruption conviction, Tommy paid Rp 15 billion to Raden Dodi
\nSumadi and Sidiq, a spiritual mentor of Wahid, to get him a
\npresidential pardon.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, back at the Army Hospital, Detikcom reported that
\nTommy booked four VIP rooms at the Kartika Pavilion -- each for
\nRp 625,000 (US$74.4) per night.<\/p>\n
Sudiro said the hospital had Tommy's complete medical records
\nsent by Tommy's doctors at Karyadi Hospital in Semarang.<\/p>\n
\"I can't say exactly (when Tommy would be fit to testify) but
\nhis treatment here will probably take five to seven days,\" he
\nsaid, when asked by presiding judge Saparudin Hasibuan.<\/p>\n
Sidiq's lawyer Supriyadi demanded that there be no more
\ndelays.<\/p>\n
\"My client has been ill on several occasions as well, but he's
\nalways made the effort to appear,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Sidiq was absent from the Jan. 16 session while being treated
\nat Gambiran Hospital in Kediri, East Java.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tommy-spurns-sidiqs-trial-with-7th-absence-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}