Imprisoned Tommy once again fails to testify

M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, failed to testify for the second time on Tuesday in the Central Jakarta District Court in the trial of Islamic boarding school leader Abdullah Sidiq Muin.

Prosecutor Yunan Harjaka told the courtroom Batu Penitentiary in Nusakambangan, Central Java, had not responded to a letter sent by the Central Jakarta Prosecutors' Office asking for permission for Tommy to attend the trial.

"As an inmate, Tommy needs permission to leave from the warden," he said. Yunan, however, said Tommy would be present at future trials.

Sidiq, the spiritual leader of former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, is alleged to have extorted Rp 15 billion (US$1.76 million) from Tommy.

Tommy refused to appear in court last week, saying in a letter to the prosecutors that he would not attend before the real culprit in the extortion case, Raden Dodi Sumadi, was tried.

He also laid down conditions that he would only appear if the security measures against him were relaxed.

Sidiq and Dodi asked for money to help arrange meetings between Tommy and Gus Dur in October 2000.

The meetings were to discuss Tommy's appeal for clemency after he was sentenced to 18 months jail for graft. clemency was never granted and Tommy went into hiding before he was finally arrested in November 2001.

Dodi, who fled following Tommy's arrest, was arrested on Jan. 25, 2002. Police later questioned him and his dossier was completed in August 2002. However, he has yet to stand trial for the alleged offense.

Prosecutors repeatedly said that Dodi could not stand trial as police had yet to submit his dossier.

"We are still expecting the police to give us the dossier, otherwise no trial can be held," Yunan said.

The trial was adjourned to Dec. 16 to hear testimony from Tommy. If Tommy fails to appear again, the judges will decide if Tommy must be forced to attend or another witness must appear.