Police suspect Tansil already in Hong Kong

JAKARTA (JP): Police say they highly suspect that businessman Eddy Tansil, who escaped from the Cipinang penitentiary on May 4, has fled to Hong Kong with his wife.

During questioning of three of Tansil's relatives, the police learned that Tansil's elder sister and brother have joined him abroad.

The three witnesses were questioned on Friday night in three different places, Suara Pembaruan reported yesterday. The three were questioned to determine whether Tansil, 42, the owner of the Golden Key business group who was serving a 20-year jail term for corruption, was still in Indonesia or whether he had fled the country.

Tansil was convicted in 1994 for defrauding state-owned Bank Pembangunan Indonesia (Bapindo) of Rp, 1.3 trillion (US$620 million).

The police suspected that the three knew the whereabouts of Tansil and his wife.

Earlier on Friday, Minister of Justice Oetojo Oesman told reporters the government had contacted the authorities of all countries which Tansil might have chosen as his destination.

Oetojo said Indonesia has requested the assistance of Interpol, through its headquarters in Lyon, France, to assist in the manhunt.

So far only the Chinese government has announced readiness to assist Indonesia in the search for Tansil. (lem)