Adrian finds sanctuary in Singapore
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
It looks increasingly unlikely that Adrian Waworuntu, a key suspect in the Rp 1.7 trillion (US$190 million) Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) scandal, will be brought to justice, after it was announced on Wednesday that the fugitive had fled to Singapore.
Police said they had traced Adrian to Singapore after finding flight records showing that he left Los Angeles for the city- state last week.
"He is now in Singapore. We found his name on fight records from Los Angeles to that country. We have sent officers there to cooperate with Singaporean authorities to arrest him," said National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Paiman.
However, Indonesia does not have an extradition treaty with Singapore.
Paiman said the police would use every possible means to bring Adrian back to Indonesia to face trial.
A police source said officers met with the fugitive at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore.
"We can't arrest him there because we don't have an extradition treaty with Singapore. It now depends on the Singaporean government and whether it wants to help Indonesia or not," the source said.
Television station RCTI broadcast on Wednesday morning an interview with Adrian. In the interview, the suspect claimed he was made a scapegoat in the bank scandal by the regime of Megawati Soekarnoputri.
"That is why I will surrender to police after Oct. 20 to prove that I am innocent," said Adrian, referring to the date on which Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is inaugurated as the new president.
It was not clear when the interview took place.
Maria Pauline Lumowa, the main suspect in the scandal, is also in Singapore, where she moves around freely and has given several TV interviews.
Several suspects in the misuse of Bank Indonesia liquidity support funds, including David Nusa Wijaya, have also been able to avoid justice here by fleeing to Singapore.
Singapore has declined to sign an extradition treaty with Indonesia.
National Police detectives chief Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sudjono said on Wednesday his officers would do their best to bring Adrian back to Indonesia.