Former model wants jail term for a 'decent sleep'

Multa Fidrus, The Jakarta Post, Tangerang

The beautiful former wife of a high-profile businessman says she is looking forward to being jailed for harboring Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra because she wants to get a good night's sleep.

Prosecutors told the Tangerang District Court on Wednesday that the three people accused of harboring the rogue son of former president Soeharto should be jailed for seven months.

The defendants are the widow of a high-ranking army officer, Rossana Hasan Razak, 55, her son Bill Haq, 25, and Ursula Regina Sandi, 37, a former model and the former wife of high-profile businessman Setiawan Djodi.

Clad in a tosca shirt, white slacks and glasses, Sandi, who looked tense during the session, smiled as the prosecutor finished reading the sentence demand.

"It is no problem for me, and no problem even if the prosecutor had sought a 10-year jail term for me," she said, adding that in the past six months, she had suffered from dizziness and exhaustion due to the trial.

"At least, I can enjoy a decent sleep in prison instead of facing all this," she said as she left the courtroom.

Prosecutor Puji Raharjo said the defendants were guilty of helping Tommy evade capture during his year as a fugitive, instead of reporting his whereabouts to police.

Police arrested Tommy as he took a nap at Rossana's house on Jl. Maleo II in Bintaro Jaya, Tangerang, last November.

Prosecutor Raharjo said it was Sandi who first contacted Rossana to ask if her house could be used as a hideout for Tommy. Tommy paid Rossana Rp 10 million in rent.

The prosecutor said aggravating factors to the trio's crimes included the defendants ignoring police efforts to uphold the law and their lack of remorse.

He said mitigating factors included the defendants' polite behavior during the trial and their prior clean records.

The seven-month jail term is two months less than the maximum penalty stipulated by the Criminal Code.

It is unlikely, however, that the defendants will be jailed even if the district court hands down a custodial sentence.

Tommy was sentenced by the Supreme Court in September 2000 to 18 months in jail for corruption. He fled after then president Abdurrahman Wahid rejected his request for a presidential pardon.

Last month, the Central Jakarta District Court sentenced Tommy to 15 years in jail for masterminding the murder of M. Syafiuddin Kartasamita, one of the Supreme Court justices who jailed him for graft.

Presiding judge Zainal Arifin adjourned the trial until Sept. 25, when the defendants' lawyer Irwan Effendi will present the defense's sentencing demands.