Marzuki asks for more time to capture fugitive Tommy

Marzuki asks for more time to capture fugitive Tommy

JAKARTA (JP): As police prepare to question the wife, sister
and father-in-law of Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra on Monday,
Attorney General Marzuki Darusman pleaded on Sunday for "a few
weeks" of public patience for authorities to seek out the
country's most wanted fugitive.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf said on Sunday
that Tommy's sister Siti Hutami Endang Adiningsih, wife Ardhia
Pramesti Rigita Cahyani and father-in-law Bambang Sucahyo Ajie
have been summoned to appear for questioning at National Police
headquarters on Monday.

"We are going to question all who have given guarantees that
Tommy would not avoid his execution (prison sentence) for
corruption," Saleh remarked.

Saleh further told The Jakarta Post that Tommy's four other
siblings would be questioned later in the week.

Tommy was convicted by the Supreme Court and sentenced to
serve 18-month's imprisonment in Cipinang penitentiary, East
Jakarta and to pay his share of Rp 30.6 billion out of the total
state losses of Rp 76.7 billion caused in a land swap scam with
the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) in 1995.

His wife, better known as Tata, has given guarantees that
Tommy would not flee or avoid execution while asking for an
execution stay from the South Jakarta District Court at the time
her husband submitted an appeal for presidential pardon.

Tommy went missing a day after President Abdurrahman Wahid
refused to grant him a pardon on Nov. 2 and was quickly declared
a fugitive by the police.

Separately, Marzuki Darusman told the Post that the
authorities deserve more time to find and to arrest Tommy.

"It's been more than two weeks since we started the search and
we need a few weeks more to find Tommy. No deadline is given," he
said suggesting that it could possibly take longer.

"Moreover, what would happen if Tommy has not been found (by
the deadline) while I have pledged another two weeks to arrest
him," he said.

Marzuki said that although family members cannot be asked to
testify against each other in court, the questioning is necessary
to gather information on Tommy's possible whereabouts.

"Tommy and his siblings were living in one housing complex and
there were reports that they were still communicating with each
other. We believe that Tommy is being hidden and is being helped
by several parties, namely his family," he said while noting
Article 221 of the Criminal Code which stipulates that those who
protect and hide wanted criminals could face a jail sentence of
up to nine years.

On Saturday, South Jakarta prosecutors seized Tommy's private
assets located in West Java, including a 3.6 hectare plot of land
in Gunung Guling village, Cibinong area, Bogor along with a villa
built in it.

Prosecutors also confiscated two plots of land in Bulakan
village, Serang, one 11,300 square meters and the other 730
square meters.

Earlier, the office had taken Tommy's homes on Jl. Cendana No.
12 and Jl. Yusuf Adiwinata No. 4 in Menteng area, Central Jakarta
as collateral for the convict's obligation to pay the state
losses as ordered by the Supreme Court. (bby)