LA murder probe findings compile
LA murder probe findings compile
JAKARTA (JP): City Police have started compiling all findings in connection with the Los Angeles triple murder to question more people domiciled in Jakarta.
"All findings uncovered by Los Angeles Police Department officers and our police detectives currently investigating the case in Los Angeles will be compiled to help find individuals who may have information about the murders," city police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko told reporters yesterday.
According to the spokesman, both the Los Angeles Police Department and Jakarta police detectives have almost completed collecting evidence and questioning people in the United States.
Police have named Harnoko Dewantono, alias Oki, 30, an Indonesian who has spent many years in the United States, as the main suspect of the triple murder.
The Los Angeles Police Department has issued a warrant of arrest for Oki as the prime suspect in the killing of his brother Tri Harto Darmawan, known as Eri, Gina Sutan Aswar, an Indonesian woman, and Suresh Mirchandani, 45, a man of Indian origin.
The three, whose bodies were found in a storage locker in August last year and identified four months later, were believed to have been killed by the suspect in separate places between 1991 and 1993.
The motive is still unknown but believed to have been business related. Gina and Suresh were Oki's business partners.
Oki was arrested in Central Jakarta on allegations of passport forgery early this month but has since then been questioned about his alleged role in the triple murder following the Los Angeles Police Department's warrant.
In an effort to further investigate the case, Jakarta police, which has a limited budget, have sent four detectives to Los Angeles to gather evidence and testimony from people, forensics and medical experts.
"They will arrive back on Monday, probably together with Los Angeles Police Department officers," Bambang said.
Ipunk
So far, police said, at least four people have been questioned in Jakarta.
They included Oki's ex-wife Anggi Hasti Benjamin Yatim, Oki's driver Mardi, Oki's ex-girlfriend Ruyalti, known as Ipunk, and Eri's girlfriend, identified only as F.
Ipunk, wife of the late Rifardi Soekarnoputra who was found dead at the house of actress Ria Irawan early last year, was still with Oki in America in 1991 before their relationship ended.
"We have asked Ipunk to give her testimony again but up to now we have had no response from her," Bambang said yesterday. "She may have moved to another place."
During the first questioning session, Ipunk replied to most of the police questions with "I don't know", a police investigator said earlier.
According to a number of media reports, Ipunk has been named as being able to give details concerning the murder of Suresh Mirchandani.
As police are still investigation the case and discussing the venue for the trial, the suspect faces the dilemma of naming his lawyers.
Oki is believed to have named lawyers from Amir Syamsuddin & Partners to defend him while his father, Hendarno Hendarmin, named those from Ruhut Sitompoel, Tommy Sihotang & Associates.
Amir, who met with Oki yesterday, told reporters: "Oki has not changed his decision and I'll try to meet his father (to discuss the issue) soon."
Critics say that Oki's case has been perceived by city lawyers as "a valuable and promising means" of promotion. (bsr)