Government turns down U.S. request to expel Oki

Government turns down U.S. request to expel Oki

JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian government has turned down a request by the United States government for the expulsion of Harnoko Dewantono, alias Oki, the main suspect of a triple murder in Los Angeles.

A release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs made available for The Jakarta Post on Tuesday stated that the Indonesian law system does not recognize expulsion of its citizens and therefore the Indonesian government cannot hand over Oki to the U.S government.

The release said that a diplomatic note was handed to the United States' embassy in Jakarta on Feb. 24.

The Indonesian government explained that the suspect is in police custody and will be tried for a passport forgery and the murder.

However, since the murder took place in Los Angeles, the Indonesian police are cooperating with the Los Angeles Police Department. Indonesia has asked the U.S. government to hand over all evidence to help in the trial.

The U.S. government asked Jakarta to expel Oki in order to make it easier for Washington to bring the suspect to trial in the U.S.

Last December the Los Angeles police named Oki as the main suspect in the murder of Gina Sutan Aswar, a young Indonesian woman, Oki's younger brother Eri Tri Harto Darmawan and Suresh Mirchandani, an Indian businessman. Police believe that the murders took place between 1991 and 1992 in Los Angeles.

Three decomposed bodies were found in a storage locker last August.

Oki has been in police custody in Jakarta since early January, and was initially arrested in connection with the passport forgery. (yns)