LAPD hands over evidence on Oki's case

LAPD hands over evidence on Oki's case

JAKARTA (JP): Los Angeles police have finally handed over
material evidence from the homicide case involving the main
suspect, Harnoko Dewantono, and the murders of three people in
Los Angeles.

With the arrival of the evidence, Jakarta police sources say,
it is increasingly likely that Harnoko Dewantono, alias Oki, will
be tried here.

The material evidence, including several firearms, arrived at
the Soekarno-Hatta international airport yesterday morning under
the supervision of plainclothes officers.

"We don't know the details of the other items inside the bag
and two boxes," the head of the City Police Crime Investigation
Directorate, Col. Nurfaizi, told reporters at the airport.

"We'll open all the bags and boxes together in front of the
other officers, including those from the prosecutor's office, so
they can verify the legality of the items," Nurfaizi said.

He added that the items were wrapped by one of his personnel,
who is still in Los Angeles.

"The wrapping work was witnessed by officers from the Los
Angeles police department and staff members from the Indonesian
consulate general there," Nurfaizi added.

Nurfaizi was unaware of the weight of the evidence, but city
police spokesman Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko estimated about 200
kilograms.

Indonesian authorities had earlier demanded that Oki stand
trial at Central Jakarta's district court. With the new evidence,
they now believe he will.

"No doubt about it anymore," commented Nurfaizi.

After the initial arrest of suspect the U.S. government had
made an official request asking Jakarta to expel Oki to Los
Angeles for trial.

But the Indonesian authorities never publicly announced their
response.

By law, any Indonesian citizen involved in a criminal case
abroad can be tried in Indonesia.

Oki was listed as wanted by the Los Angeles police for his
alleged role in the killing of Suresh Mirchandani, his Indian
business partner, Gina Sutan Aswar, his Indonesian business
partner and Tri (Eri) Harto Darmawan, his own brother. Their
decomposed bodies were found in a local storage locker in August
last year.

Forgery

He was apprehended here early this year for alleged passport
forgery and was later questioned about the murders.

The hearing on passport forgery is still underway at the South
Jakarta district court.

City police detectives have spent more than four months on the
investigation. Their team, which is now working in Los Angeles,
has yet to complete their dossiers.

"We hope that the dossiers will be completed following the
arrival of the new evidence," Nurfaizi said yesterday at the
airport.

Complication

One complication deterring the police from completing the
dossiers is the witness element.

In a recent interview with The Jakarta Post, Oki questioned
the police and the credibility of the charges.

"Can they prove it? Can they find any witnesses to support
their charges against me?" he asked.

Oki's lawyers, Ruhut Sitompoel and Tommy Sihotang, are
planning to collect information and more evidence in the United
States next month.

A copy of the police findings reveals that Suresh was tortured
before he was shot to death in August 1991 and Gina was battered
to death on Nov. 2, 1992, while Eri was beaten viciously at an
apartment several days after Gina's death. One of Gina's ears was
missing, while Suresh's lungs, heart, and part of his abdomen
were missing. (bsr)