Adiguna's blood contained trace of illicit drugs
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Police announced on Thursday that samples of urine and blood of Adiguna Sutowo, taken a day after the shooting incident that killed Yohannes Berchmans Haerudy Natong alias Rudy, contained methamphetamine and phenmetrazine, two psychotropic subtances.
National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sudjono said Adiguna, as the sole suspect of the Jan. 1 incident at the Hilton Hotel, would be charged under Law No. 5/1997 on psychotropic substances.
"These two substances are known as shabu-shabu to the public. Obviously, he consumed shabu-shabu before the incident. However, he was cognizant when he pulled the trigger," said Suyitno.
Article 59 of Law No. 5/1997 stipulates that a drug user could face a minimum sentence of four years in prison.
Suyitno said the suspect would also be charged with murder and illegal gun possession.
Article 338 of the Criminal Code states that premeditated murder carries a maximum sentence of 15 year's imprisonment, while according to Article 1 of Law No. 12/1951 a person illegally in the possession of a gun can be given the death sentence.
Several witnesses testified that Adiguna, a son of Ibnu Sutowo, a former director of state oil and gas company Pertamina, carried the gun and pulled the trigger.
"At least three witnesses of the 19 witnesses questioned so far testified that Adiguna held the gun. One of them, a barman identified as S, saw Adiguna fire the gun at Rudy," said Suyitno.
He guaranteed that police would protect all witnesses testifying against the suspect and denied a report suggesting that the key suspect had disappeared.
The incident allegedly took place at 3:30 a.m after the New Year's celebration inside Hilton Hotel's Fluid Club. Witnesses said that Adiguna argued with Rudy, a trainee waiter, when Rudy told Adiguna's female companion that her credit card had been rejected and asked for another one.
Police have interrogated Adiguna's female companion identified as T. Suyitno said she continued to deny seeing the incident.
"She signed an affidavit. If we can prove later that she lied, we can charge her under one of the articles in the Criminal Code," said Suyitno.