Police say Hindoro's death an accident
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)