Police say Hindoro's death an accident

JAKARTA (JP): The city police announced Saturday it believed the death of former Bank Perniagaan commissioner Hindoro Budianto, 52, was purely an accident.

The deputy chief of the city police detective unit, Lt. Col. Bakat Purwanto, told The Jakarta Post that witness accounts indicated Hindoro slipped from the balcony, probably when he was trying to escape.

"The police have questioned several witnesses, including security guards and other hotel employees, who claim they saw a man (Hindoro) on one of the balconies trying to reach the next room's balcony," Bakat explained.

Hindoro, who apparently fell to his death from the eighth floor of Hotel Marbela in Anyer, West Java, last Monday, was allegedly connected to a Rp 900 billion bank scam last year.

Police said he fell after officers raided the hotel room in which he and his family were spending their vacation.

Besides hotel employees, the police also interrogated members of Hindoro's family -- Indah Natalia, Hindoro's wife Mira Natalia, Lin Christine, Erlina, Titik, Herman, Aditya Halim, Elizabeth, King, Sri and two of Aditya's children.

"We have to know what really happened and they (the family) were with the victim, at least until he fell to his death," Bakat said.

Forensic expert Mun'im Idries has stated that he ran a postmortem examination on Hindoro's body at Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital about five hours after the victim's death.

"The injuries on his wrist and hip indicate he that fell to his death," he told the Post.

Bakat said the police positively identified the body as being Hindoro's with the help of Mira, the deceased's wife.

"This is very important because there was controversy surrounding his death. After completing all of the examinations, we are sure that the body is Hindoro Budianto.

"Hindoro has been on the police's most wanted list since June of 1997. Even though he's dead, we are still continuing the investigation into the corruption case," Bakat added.

Bakat also said the police had questioned 20 witnesses so far in connection with the Bank Perniagaan scam.

Hindoro's body was reportedly scheduled to be buried by his family on Saturday at Gunung Sindur Cemetery in Bogor, but was postponed without explanation.

An announcement stated that the funeral would take place on July 2.

Hindoro's family refused to give comments. "Please, just wait for further information. It's already stated clearly in the announcement. What more do you want?" asked one of the relatives. (edt)