Police detain Ari Sigit for bullet possession
JAKARTA (JP): Former president Soeharto's grandson Ari Haryo Wibowo, also known as Ari Sigit, has been detained by police on charges of illegal possession of ammunition, city police spokesman Sr.Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said on Tuesday.
"The suspect is charged with Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on guns and explosives, which carries a sentence of between 15 years imprisonment and life," he said at Jakarta Police Headquarters at about 9 p.m.
Ari was arrested following the discovery of 70 bullets at his home on Jl. Rasamala, Menteng, Central Jakarta, on Monday night.
Ari, the eldest son of Soeharto's eldest son Sigit Harjojudanto, refused to comment on the charges.
"No comment, no comment," he said during a break in police questioning on Tuesday.
Ari's lawyer, Petrus Bala Patyona, however, said that his client had stated before police that he knew nothing about the bullets.
"He (Ari) testified that he really did not know about the bullets found in his house," the lawyer said.
The police found the bullets in a suitcase in Ari's house on Monday at about 8 p.m. while searching for Ari's fugitive uncle, Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, who is believed to still be in Jakarta.
Ari's house is located near Jl. Cendana where most of the Soeharto family resides.
Ari, who was in his parents' house on Jl. Yusuf Adiwinata, Menteng, Central Jakarta, at the time, was arrested for questioning on charges of illegal possession of ammunition.
Petrus admitted on Monday night that his client once had firearms and ammunition but they had been handed over to police last year.
He said Ari had claimed that the firearms and ammunition belonged to his grandfather.
The city police also questioned Ari's wife Gusti Maya Firanti Noor about the 70 bullets, which were found in the wardrobe in her room.
"I don't know anything about the bullets. They are not mine," Maya said before questioning.
Wearing a black suit, the woman who was once jailed for eight months on drug charges, arrived at city police headquarters at 3 p.m., and left before 9 p.m.
Maya looked calm and was not accompanied by a lawyer.
Ari and Maya have filed for a divorce at Central Jakarta District Court.
Tata
Separately, Tommy's wife Ardhia Pramesti Regita Cahyani, also known as Tata, was questioned at the Central Jakarta Police station on Tuesday.
Tata was questioned about a suspect, identified as Hetty Siti Hartika, who was charged with concealing Tommy, Soeharto's youngest son.
Tata's lawyer, Juan Felix Tampubolon, said his client admitted that she knew Hetty as the manager of Cemara Apartments in Menteng, Central Jakarta.
"Tata knew her well. She met Hetty on Friday, one day before she was arrested," Juan said.
Police, who suspect that Tommy was hiding in the apartment which belongs to Soeharto's family, arrested Hetty on Aug. 4, but the fugitive was not found on the premises.
During the raid, police seized firearms, jewelry and several gold bars worth US$600,000, which was later returned to Hetty.
Hetty reportedly returned the gold bars and jewelry to Tommy's younger sister Siti Hutami Endang Hadiningsih, who is also known as Mamiek.
Police said on Monday that they would seize the gold bars and jewelry if they were proven to belong to Tommy.
Juan Felix said on Tuesday that Tata did not know about the gold bars and jewelry.
"They did not belong to Tata or Tommy," Juan said.
Clad in black, Tata reiterated her plea on Tuesday to her husband to surrender to police.
"Through the media, I call on Mas Tommy to surrender to police to provide clarification," Tata, who looked pale after undergoing seven hours of police questioning, said.
Tata also went through questioning at city police headquarters on Monday.
Asked whether there was any truth to rumors that Tata was four months pregnant, Juan Felix claimed he did not know anything about it.
"As she hasn't met Tommy since last year, I think it's impossible that she is pregnant. She looks pale because she's tired," he argued.
Tommy is still at large after the Supreme Court sentenced him to 18 months in jail for a corruption case involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and his firm PT Goro Batara Sakti in November last year.
Police announced on Aug. 4 that Tommy was behind the murder of court justice M. Syafiuddin Kartasasmita, who was a member of the panel of justices that convicted Tommy.
Syafiuddin was shot dead on July 26 in the Kemayoran area of Central Jakarta on his way to work. Several suspects who were arrested later said that they were acting on orders from Tommy. (jun)