Ari Sigit's remains in hospital

JAKARTA (JP): The Jakarta Prosecutor's Office has delayed transferring the grandson of former president Soeharto, Ari Haryo Wibowo, alias Ari Sigit, to Salemba Prison as he is undergoing medical treatment at Kramatjati Police Hospital, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

"We received notification that the office is delaying transferring him, but Ari will be placed at Salemba as soon as the doctors have declared him fit," Muhammad Burhanuddin, the lawyer, said.

Ari collapsed on Monday upon hearing that he would be transferred to Salemba Prison. The 31-year-old Ari had been in police custody for one month.

Burhanuddin said that Ari was visited on late Monday by his mother, Elsye Sigit.

"His grandmother (Elsye's mother) also visited him and his children are planning to come as well, but I don't know the schedule," Burhanuddin said.

The eldest son of Sigit Hardjojudanto was detained by the city police after a raid on his house in Menteng found live ammunition. The search was in connection with the police's attempts to locate Ari's fugitive uncle, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, who has been on the run since November last year. (emf)