Police hope to wrap up Elza's bribery case soon

Leo Wahyudi S, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Police officials have vowed to finalize the dossier on Elza Syarief, the lawyer for Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, within 20 days, City Police spokesman, S. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam said on Tuesday.

"We have 20 days to complete the dossier and hand it over to the prosecutor's office," Anton said.

But he noted that if they failed to get it done within that period, they would, "ask for an extension of Elza's detention for 40 more days," Anton added.

After questioning the lawyer, who is suspected of bribing witnesses, for ten hours on Monday, the police put Elza into custody at the Jakarta Police Headquarters under tight security.

The investigators charged Elza with violating Article 242 of the Criminal Code on giving false testimony under oath and Article 2 of the law No. 11/1980 on bribery, which respectively carry a maximum penalty of seven years and five years in prison.

According to Anton, the detention of the lawyer of former president Soeharto's youngest son was based on article 20 and 21 of the Criminal Code Procedures on detention.

Investigators firmly believe that Elza had bribed Rahmat and Tatang -- two witnesses in Tommy's case on illegal possession of weapons -- to retract their earlier statements they had given to police, wherein they asserted that Tommy illegally possessed firearms.

"So, due to our evidence, we will hold her in custody for further investigation," he added.

However, her lawyers and family submitted on Tuesday a letter to the City Police asking for her release, saying that they could guarantee her complete cooperation throughout the investigation.

"We have already given the letter to the police," Elza's husband Rear Adm. Yuswaji said here on Tuesday after visiting her at the cell.

Elza's top lawyer T. Gayus Lumbuun expressed his objection to his client's detention.

Yuswaji also said that his wife was not guilty because she only gave the witnesses "presents", and that she liked to help other people.

Anton acknowledged that it was a lawyer's right to request a client's release, but the decision ultimately would be for the police investigation team to make.