Police could arrest Hong Lie if requested: Gen. Banurusman

Police could arrest Hong Lie if requested: Gen. Banurusman

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman
Astrosemitro said yesterday that the police could only ask
Interpol to help arrest entertainment businessman Hong Lie under
the request of prosecutors.

"Ordinarily, the police's job is finished with the trial of
the case," Banurusman told reporters after inaugurating the
newly-founded City Police Center for Medical Health Service and
Information.

Hong Lie, 39, alias Herry Cahyadi, has been named by the city
police chief, Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo, as one of the city's most
wanted persons for his alleged role in last year's killing of his
competitor, Nyo Beng Seng, 54.

According to Banurusman, the ongoing trial of two suspects in
the killing could be brought to an end by the prosecutors if Hong
Lie, currently in Singapore, is subpoenaed to appear in court to
testify.

So far, the court has not been able to identify the person who
masterminded the killing of Beng Seng, alias Darmansyah Suyadi,
who was brutally stabbed by a group of masked men in front of his
second wife's house on Jl. Pluit Kencana Raya 128 in Pluit, North
Jakarta on April 15, 1994.

Two of the masked men, who have been arrested and are
currently being tried, told the court that they had not planned
to kill Beng Seng. They confessed that they were only asked by
someone named Ahak to collect debts from Beng Seng.

They admitted that they later stabbed the victim only after
Beng Seng began shouting robbers at them.

Also both suspects could not understand how their slight stabs
to Beng Seng's hands could lead to his death.

Beng Seng, owner of PT Irama Tara recording firm and a number
of night clubs and massage parlors, was found dead with several
stab wounds to his body.

However, police strongly believe that it was Hong Lie who
masterminded the killing, on the grounds that he would be able to
take over Beng Seng's position as one of the most powerful
gambling brokers in the city.

However, Hong Lie told Indonesian reporters, who met him in
Singapore, that the killing of Beng Seng was masterminded by A
Guam, alias Ali Leo Kartono, who was in debt to Beng Seng for a
huge amount.

Hong Lie also claims that Ali is now involved in a love affair
with Beng Seng's second wife, Tuti Sulastri.

Early on Monday, Dibyo Widodo said that the city police put
Hong Lie's name on their most wanted list and sent a copy to
Interpol (National Central Bureau), at National Police
Headquarters, to ask for help in order to arrest him.

City Police claimed that one of the barriers in arresting Hong
Lie is the absence of an extradition treaty between Indonesia and
Singapore.

When asked about the progress yesterday, Dibyo said that he
had yet to receive any further instruction from Banurusman. But
he said that his personnel must be well prepared for the
operation to arrest Hong Lie.

"We have to prepare well," he said, without giving further
details about the plan. (bsr)