Police suspect Tansil already in Hong Kong

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)