Police silences rumors: Adiguna to stay in custody
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
The police have announced that they would not release from custody Adiguna Sutowo, the sole suspect in the murder of waiter Yohannes Berchmans Haerudy Natong, alias Rudy, on New Year's Day at the Hilton Hotel, Central Jakarta.
"We will continue to detain (Adiguna), even if we receive a request to suspend his detention from his family or lawyers," National Police chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Suyitno Landung Sudjono told The Jakarta Post.
Suyitno's statement comes amid concerns from the victim's family and friends regarding rumors that Adiguna would be released from police detention if his family requested it.
Adiguna is a son of Ibnu Sutowo, a former director of state oil and gas company Pertamina.
Rudy's family, as well as friends from Bung Karno University, where he had studied, have also expressed concern over the possibility that Adiguna would be released from detention for health reasons, as implied by his legal team.
Amir Karyatin, a lawyer representing Adiguna, said his client had a long history of severe backache and nose bleeding, and thus needed careful treatment.
Many criminal suspects have previously evaded police detention on reasons of health, including key suspect of the BNI scam Adrian Waworuntu and sugar smuggling suspect Nurdin Halid.
Suyitno dismissed the suggestion, saying that a team of police doctors would examine Adiguna's condition before taking any measures.
Rudy was killed by a gunshot wound to the temple at around 3:30 a.m. on Jan. 1, following a New Year celebration at the Hilton Hotel's Fluid Club.
Witnesses said Adiguna quarreled with Rudy, a trainee waiter, when Rudy told Adiguna's female companion that her credit card had been rejected and asked for another one.
Adiguna was reportedly furious with Rudy and drew out a gun, pointing it at him. Apparently, Adiguna pulled the trigger three times, but only the third round fired.
Rudy died instantly from a cranial wound that entered his right temple and exited on the left side of his neck.
At least three of 19 witnesses from the club have identified Adiguna as the shooter.
Separately, city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Tjiptono said half of Adiguna's case file was complete.
"Hopefully, we can submit the case file to the prosecutor's office next week, although we haven't found the murder weapon yet," Tjiptono told the Post.
The police plan to charge Adiguna with Article 59 of Law No. 5/1997 on psychotropic substances with a minimum four-year sentence, Article 338 of the Criminal Code on premeditated murder with a maximum punishment of 15 years, and Article 1 of Emergency Law No. 12/1951 on illegal firearms possession, which carries a maximum sentence of death.