Lani hiding something about Tommy: Police

Lani hiding something about Tommy: Police

JAKARTA (JP): City police detectives strongly suspect that
model Lani Banjaranti, 27, gave false information to detectives
in connection with the manhunt for fugitive Hutomo "Tommy"
Mandala Putra.

"Some of the answers she gave police... they don't seem to be
true. She is also hiding something from us about Tommy. We can
feel it," city police chief of detectives Sr. Comr. Harry
Montolalu said on Thursday.

"She will soon be called again for questioning. We will try to
get the truth out of her."

Police detectives earlier questioned the model in connection
with the whereabouts of Tommy, who has been evading custody since
November.

"She totally denied having any contact with Tommy since he
fled last November. She said that both of them had broken contact
with each other in 1997," city police detective chief for general
crimes Comr. Tito Karnavian earlier told The Jakarta Post.

"She also said that she knew bomb suspect Elize Maria, but not
too well."

Arrested for the possession of three bombs at Taman Mini
Indonesia Indah recreation park in East Jakarta on Jan. 19, Elize
earlier made headlines when she told police that it was Tommy who
gave her the bombs.

It is believed that Lani and Tommy dated in the early 1990s.
Harry earlier refused to elaborate on the relationship.

Tommy, the youngest son of former president Soeharto, has been
on the run since November after he was sentenced to 18 months in
jail for corruption.

Despite forming at least two special teams to track down
Tommy, police have so far failed to locate him. (ylt)