U.S. request for Oki's extradition under review<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is studying a request by the United
\nStates government to extradite Harnoko Dewantono, alias Oki, who
\nis wanted in connection with a triple murder in Los Angeles,
\nMinister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas said yesterday.<\/p>\n
Alatas' comments, made to reporters while attending the
\ninduction of new ambassadors at the State Palace, were the first
\nofficial confirmation that the United States has formally
\nrequested that Indonesia hand over the 30-year old Oki.<\/p>\n
The request was made to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.<\/p>\n
Alatas said he had passed the matter on to the Ministry of
\nJustice whose experts will study and prepare the response to the
\nU.S. request.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles police last December named Oki as the main suspect
\nin the murders of Gina Sutan Aswar (a young Indonesian woman),
\nhis own brother Eri Tri Harto Darmawan, and Suresh Michandani, a
\nlaundry businessman of Indian origin.<\/p>\n
Their decomposed bodies were found in a storage locker last
\nAugust and only identified four months later.<\/p>\n
Oki has been in Jakarta Police custody since early January,
\ninitially in connection with a passport forgery case but
\ninterrogators later expanded the investigation to include the
\nmurder allegation in Los Angeles. The Jakarta Police have also
\nsent its detectives to the Californian city to gather evidence.
\nOn Sunday, it was the turn of two Los Angeles detectives to visit
\nJakarta to help with the investigation.<\/p>\n
Oki's lawyer Amir Syamsuddin, responding to news of the
\nrequest for extradition, yesterday said he did not expect the
\nIndonesian government to grant it.<\/p>\n
\"I don't expect that to happen,\" he told The Jakarta Post. \"We
\nhave not even considered the likelihood of that.\"<\/p>\n
There has been a debate among legal experts here about whether
\nOki should be tried in Jakarta or Los Angeles.<\/p>\n
Those who argued that he should be tried here said that
\nIndonesia should protect its own citizens and that Indonesian law
\nshould be used in trying him.<\/p>\n
Those who said he should be sent back to Los Angeles,
\nincluding the relatives of Gina, argued on practical grounds,
\nsaying that most of the evidence and witnesses are in Los
\nAngeles. The Los Angeles district attorney's office has said it
\ncould try Oki's case within two days of his return.<\/p>\n
The legal debate about Oki's case also drew the attention of
\nthe House of Representatives during a hearing yesterday between
\nMinister of Justice Oetojo Oesman and the Commission III which
\ndeals with legal issues.<\/p>\n
Commission chairman Suhardi, himself a legal expert, said Oki
\nshould be tried here no matter what it costs.<\/p>\n
\"The government should be prepared to bear the high costs,\" he
\nsaid. \"It just goes to show that justice is costly.\"<\/p>\n
He said there are ways of cutting costs, for example through
\nthe use of tele-conference to hear the testimony of witnesses
\nduring the trial. This would at least save on travel costs.<\/p>\n
Minister Oetojo said that it is up to the Attorney General's
\nOffice to determine whether to try Oki here or send him to the
\nUnited States.<\/p>\n
\"Obviously, our main concern is to have him tried here. But
\nlet's just wait and see what develops,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that the Indonesian prosecutors might not have
\nsufficient evidence to convict Oki in which case he would have to
\nbe tried in the United States.<\/p>\n
He said from a legal point of view, Oki could be tried in
\nIndonesia for a crime committed overseas. \"It is natural for a
\nstate to want to protect its own citizen, including on matters of
\njustice.\"<\/p>\n
The absence of an extradition treaty between Indonesia and the
\nUnited States makes it difficult for Indonesia to send Oki to Los
\nAngeles, he said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, sending him there is possible under the Law
\non International Legal Cooperation in the absence of an
\nextradition agreement, he said. (emb\/imn\/bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/us-request-for-okis-extradition-under-review-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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