Extradition of Hendra imminent, says Wiryono

Extradition of Hendra imminent, says Wiryono

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesian Ambassador to Australia Wiryono
Sastrohandojo said on Friday extradition of one of Indonesia's
most wanted white collar criminals, Hendra Rahardja, would soon
take place.

Wiryono said "strong and clear" evidence had been gathered
against Hendra.

"It won't be long before Hendra is extradited. Right now,
Australia is simply taking the proper legal procedures," Wiryono
told The Jakarta Post by phone from Canberra.

"Hendra's case was to be heard by a Sydney court today (July
16), but I have not yet been informed from the Indonesian
Consulate General's office in Sydney about the court hearing."

Phones went unanswered at the Indonesian Consulate General
office and staff residents' homes in Sydney.

The fugitive banker, who made the list of Indonesia's most
wanted bankers, was arrested on June 1 by immigration officials
at Sydney's international airport. He was apprehended on a
warrant from Indonesian authorities circulated through Interpol
connections.

Hendra escaped from the country in November 1997, following
liquidation of two of his banks: Bank Harapan Sentosa (BHS) and
Bank Guna International.

Hendra, believed to have fled first to Singapore when his
businesses were wound up at that time, is the brother of Eddy
Tansil.

Tansil, who is still at large after bribing warders and
walking out of a high-security Cipinang Penitentiary three years
ago, was sentenced by a Jakarta court to a 20-year jail term for
bank fraud.

Hendra's Indonesian lawyer, Alamsyah Hanafiah, told the Post
here on Thursday that due to loopholes in the warrant, Indonesia
was powerless to return his client to Jakarta.

"Charges against my client, as described in the warrant, have
already been replaced by new rules ... The charges are already
out of date," he said, adding that he was due to meet his client
in Sydney on Wednesday.

He said he had no information about the procedural hearing
scheduled for Friday.

"That's the business of Hendra's lawyers in Sydney."

Wiryono said Australian authorities had received an official
request from the Indonesian government for the extradition of
Hendra.

"The request was made on July 5 or somewhere around that
time."

The formal request was required by Sydney for the procedural
hearing of the case.

Had Indonesian authorities failed to meet the July 15
deadline, or 45 days after Hendra's arrest -- the maximum period
allowed for Australian authorities to detain a foreigner wanted
by his or her country -- Australia could have deported Hendra to
Hong Kong.(ylt/bar)