Police question Adrian's lawyer

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Police investigators questioned on Thursday the lawyer of Adrian Waworuntu, a key suspect in the Rp 1.7 trillion (US$185 million) scandal involving state bank BNI 46, for allegedly giving false information to police and helping Adrian escape arrest.

Lawyer Doni Antares Irawan was questioned for eight hours regarding his alleged role in Adrian's escape and the letter from a doctor that said Adrian needed a seven-day stay from detention for medical treatment in Kotamobagu, North Sulawesi.

Doni's lawyer, Amir Karyatin, said his client denied accusations that he was involved in Adrian's escape because he and Adrian had never met.

"In fact, Doni has always suggested Adrian to surrender himself to the police. He received the doctor's letter through his fax machine," he said.

Doni arrived at the National Police Headquarters at 9 a.m. for a marathon questioning.

The police did not detain Doni as his lawyers ensured their client would not run away or destroy any evidence.

"He (Doni) is a respectable lawyer and lecturer. Dozens of other lawyers will vouch for him," Amir told The Jakarta Post.

Police named Doni a suspect on Tuesday on allegations that he hid Adrian and forged documents and they said that questioning him would set light to Adrian's whereabouts.

Last week, police declared Adrian a fugitive after he failed to present himself to the police on Oct. 1, when the police had to hand over Adrian to the prosecutor's office. The police chose to issue a second summons instead of searching for him.

Police said on Wednesday that Adrian might have fled the country using a different name because the travel ban on him remains effective. The police dropped no hints about which country he was heading for.

Another key suspect, Maria Pauline Lumowa, had fled the country and is reportedly in the Netherlands.

Several media speculated that Adrian is in the United States and transferred the money he swindled to several bank accounts overseas. They said that it was possible that Adrian maintained his real name and bribed officials at the immigration office.

National Police detective chief Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sudjono said the police would interrogate Adrian's doctor F. Winerungan as a witness after completing Doni's questioning.

He added that Adrian's doctor could also be named a suspect if he was proven to make a fake letter on Adrian's illness.