Ari Sigit's house searched during hunt for Tommy

JAKARTA (JP): The city police searched on Monday night the house of Ari Sigit Soeharto, the grandchild of former president Soeharto, during hunt for his fugitive uncle, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra.

National Police deputy spokesman Edward Aritonang confirmed that the police had searched Ari's house and taken him to police headquarters for questioning.

The police were reported to have found a number of illegal weapons and 70 bullets in Ari's house. He could be arrested for being in possession of illegal firearms.

Police revealed that 50 of the bullets were manufactured by the state-owned weaponry manufacturer Pindad, while the rest were made in the U.S..

Earlier on Monday, Tommy's wife, Ardhia Pramesti Regita Cahyani alias Tata, was questioned as a witness by police in connection with the murder of Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita.

Tata's lawyer M. Assegaf confirmed that the questioning was based on Article 340 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder charges filed against Tommy, the youngest son of former President Soeharto.

Accompanied by four lawyers, including Assegaf, Tata admitted to have known the three suspects, identified as Ferry Ukom, Dodi Hardjito and Dedi Yusuf, who were arrested earlier.

"Tata knew Ferry as a guard in her parent's house while Dedi and Dodi were her husband's friends," Tata's other lawyer Juan Felix Tampubolon said.

Juan said that the last time Tata met her husband was before Tommy was declared a fugitive last year.

Tommy escaped on Nov. 3, 2000, shortly after he was sentenced to 18-months in jail in a corruption case involving State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and his firm PT Goro Betara Sakti.

"Tommy contacted her two months ago. But she didn't know his whereabouts," the lawyer told reporters

Tata, who arrived at the city police headquarters at 8:15 a:m, was questioned for seven hours.

"I ask the public not to blame Mas Tommy, before he himself gives clarification. I call on him to provide clarification, ... to surrender," Tata told reporters after the questioning.

Like Tata, Soeharto's eldest daughter Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana alias Tutut, during police questioning on Friday, also called on her brother to surrender.

Ferry, Dodi and Dedi were believed to have mapped out Syafiuddin's residence in Sunter, North Jakarta and his route to work before he was shot dead by two other suspects, Noval Hadad and Mulawarman.

In January this year, Noval and Mulawarman were seen guarding Tata when she was questioned at city police headquarters about Tommy's whereabouts.

Tata is also scheduled to be questioned at the Central Jakarta Police precinct on Tuesday related to a suspect, identified as Hetty Siti Hartika.

Hetty who was arrested on Aug. 4 in Cemara Apartments, Menteng, Central Jakarta, confessed earlier that she had given a document on Syafiuddin's murder plan and a bag containing firearms to Tutut's maid, Iyo.

Tutut and Tommy's other sister, Siti Hediati Hariyadi Prabowo, and Tata were believed to have known when Hetty delivered the document to Iyo in Tutut's house near Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.

Besides seizing the documents and the firearms, police reportedly confiscated jewelry and gold bars worth trillions of rupiah from Hetty's apartment, believed to be owned by Tommy. (jun/bnt)