Police look for more witnesses, evidence to charge Yorrys

JAKARTA (JP): The City Police are looking for more witnesses and material evidence to charge Yorrys Raweyai of the Pemuda Pancasila youth organization for his alleged role in a series of crimes.

A reliable police source told The Jakarta Post yesterday that Yorrys is believed to have been involved in a great number of crime cases in the city. Due to limited evidence and several problems police are unable to disclose what the cases are at this point.

Among significant barriers faced by the police is the presence of a number of high-ranking officers who backed Yorrys up on account of strong financial support from him.

When contacted for further confirmation, City Police spokesman Col. A. Latief Rabar refused to comment. "Just ask the chief directly," he said.

The Post's source, however, refused to describe any of the crimes currently being investigated by the city police which allegedly involve Yorrys, who has been in police custody since Monday for his suspected role in plotting the torture of a male servant which lead to his death last year.

Earlier, City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto acknowledged that Yorrys might also be involved in another case which has yet to be proven.

"Based on a preliminary investigation, we found no evidence of his role in the murder of (the controversial ex-convict) Johny Sembiring," the one-star general told the Post in Bogor on Tuesday.

Sembiring was found dead with severe wounds to his body after he and his driver were kidnapped in a small village in Bogor two months ago. His driver, Tumiran, was released by the unidentified kidnappers.

In custody

A number of the youth organization members, including Yorrys' lawyer Ruhut Sitompoel and an executive of the organization's North Jakarta branch office, Gunung Hutapea, are in City Police custody for their alleged role in the beating of the late servant.

Yorrys' brother, Roberto, wanted for questioning, is still at large.

"I know that he (Roberto) was the one who severed the servant's ear," said the source who declined to be identified.

Police initially believed that under the support of the other suspects, Yorrys plotted the torture of 23-year-old servant Djasman in September last year for allegedly kidnapping and killing the two-and-a-half-year-old son of his employer who is the secretary of the North Jakarta chapter of Pemuda Pancasila.

"Now is a good time for the police to arrest him in a bid to further ease the public fear created by this man and his fellows," the source said.

He said he appreciated the City Police Chief and the Armed Forces (ABRI) Commander for their strong support in ignoring the intense wave from certain parties asking for the release of Yorrys.

"We absolutely believe that many people are feeling happy and comfortable with his arrest," he added.

In a related development, another source at the City Police Headquarters said that Yorrys was rushed to the Police Hospital in Kramat Jati, East Jakarta, yesterday morning. As of last night no further details of his illness or whereabouts could be gained from the police or hospital.

Beng Seng

Informed sources said that the police might also look for evidence to charge the day-to-day chairman of the Golkar- affiliated youth organization for his alleged role in the murder of businessman Nyo Beng Seng last April.

Beng Seng, alias Darmansyah Suyadi, 57, an operator of gambling dens and pubs, was fatally stabbed on April 15 by a group of at least four masked men in the yard of his second wife's house on Jl. Pluit Kencana Raya 128, North Jakarta.

But, the sources said, the detectives need to spend more time and manpower to prove it. (bsr)