Police skeptical about plan to hand over Tommy

Police skeptical about plan to hand over Tommy

JAKARTA (JP): Police were skeptical over the possibility that
former President Soeharto's fugitive son Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala
Putra would surrender or that the Soeharto family would hand over
the fugitive to police, the main suspect in a Supreme Court
justice's murder, an officer said on Sunday.

"Too much evidence indicates that Tommy was behind the murder.
So, we are skeptical that he would surrender or his family would
hand him over," city police spokesman Sr. Comr. Anton Bachrul
Alam told The Jakarta Post.

He said that some suspects who had been arrested and confessed
to the murder of the Supreme Court Justice M. Syafiuddin
Kartasasmita on July 26, were acting on orders from Tommy.

"Police will continue to track down Tommy although the family
have promised to try to hand over the fugitive. So far, we have
yet to make any deal about the hand over plan," he said.

City police chief Insp. Gen. Sofjan Jacoeb admitted on Friday
that the Soeharto family had discussed Tommy's possible surrender
with their team of lawyers.

Tommy's lawyer Juan Felix Tampubolon revealed that the family
and the lawyers planned to discuss some technical aspects of the
plan to surrender Tommy.

"The family plan to hand over Tommy. We were assigned to
arrange the technical aspects of the plan," Juan said.

Tommy's eldest sister Siti Hardiyanti Rukmana, also known as
Tutut, who was questioned by police last week, said that her
brother planned to surrender and provide clarification.

Tommy, according to Tutut, called her two days before the
questioning, claiming that he knew nothing about the murder.

Police have also questioned Tommy's wife Ardhia Pramesti
Regita and Tommy's other sisters, Siti Hediati Prabowo and Siti
Hutami Endang Hadiningsih, over his whereabouts.

Many believe the family know of Tommy's whereabouts although
they deny it. Tommy reportedly met Tutut during her birthday on
July 7, this year.

Some lawyers have stated that the police have the legal right
to arrest Tutut and the other members of the Soeharto family for
hiding Tommy because he is a fugitive.

However, according to Article 221 (b) of the Criminal Code,
the family could not be charged with harboring a suspect.

Tommy is still at large since he disappeared in November last
year after he was sentenced to 18 months in jail for corruption
involving the State Logistics Agency (Bulog) and his firm PT Goro
Batara Sakti.

Last Tuesday the police detained Tommy's nephew Ari Haryo
Wibowo or Ari Sigit for firearm possession. (jun)