Oki's lawyers unable to meet with client

Oki's lawyers unable to meet with client

JAKARTA (JP): Lawyers from Ruhut Sitompoel, Tommy Sihotang &
Associates were unable to meet with their client Harnoko Dewanto,
alias Oki, the main suspect of a triple murder in Los Angeles,
due to "the absence" of authorized officers.

"We have been here for about three hours and still have not
met with Oki because apparently, all of the authorized officers
in charge have a lot of things to do," Ruhut, accompanied by
Tommy, told reporters at the City Police Headquarters.

"We'll come again tomorrow," Tommy said.

The lawyers, who were just appointed by Oki's father,
planned to ask for police permission to meet with their client,
which is required by law.

"We then asked to meet with a number of authorized officers
at the crime investigation directorate but were informed that all
were on calls outside the city," Ruhut said.

"But, we have submitted all the required documents to the
police as a prerequisite to meet with our client.".

Ruhut, Tommy and their two other assistants arrived at
police headquarters at 11:45 a.m. and directly went to meet with
the police chief.

Oki, 30, has been in Jakarta police custody since Jan. 7 on
charges of passport forgery. He is now undergoing questioning for
his alleged role in the killing of two Indonesians, including
Oki's brother, and an Indian businessman in Los Angeles in 1991
and 1992.

According to a tentative schedule, Hindarto, who will be
replaced by his deputy next Friday, will release the complete
story of the killing and Oki's alleged role today.

As of yesterday morning, a number of senior city police
officers, including those from the city's narcotics and murder
units, were still questioning the suspect.

Lt. Col. Gories Mere, head of the major crimes unit, and
three other police officers are scheduled to leave for Los
Angeles tomorrow (Friday) to collect available information and
evidence.

Eri's remains

On the same day, the remains of Oki's brother, Eri Tri Harto
Darmawan, 26, are expected to arrive at the Soekarno-Hatta
international airport at about 10 a.m.

"His mother has been in Los Angeles since a few days ago to
pick up Eri's body and arrange the flight," Ruhut said.

The decayed bodies of Eri and Gina Sutan Aswar, a 28 year
old Indonesian woman, and the 45 year old Indian, were found in a
Los Angeles storage locker in August last year and were
identified in December.

Gina's body was brought by her brother from Los Angeles last
Friday.

So far, police have yet to announce the findings of their
latest questioning of Oki.

According to local media sources, unidentified police
sources are saying that Oki has confessed to killing Gina and the
Indian, but has denied killing his brother.

According to the lawyers, none of Oki's relatives have been
allowed by the police to see Oki.

"The police are afraid that visits by the relatives might
disturb their questioning process," Tommy said.

Ruhut, an executive from the Pemuda Pancasila youth
organization, was in the custody of city police late last year
along with Yorrys Raweyai, from the same organization, for their
alleged role in the brutal beating of a servant.

When asked by The Jakarta Post yesterday, Ruhut simply said:
"Do not ask about that any more, just ask the city police chief."
(bsr)