Police to break into more sections of Tommy's residence
Police to break into more sections of Tommy's residence
JAKARTA (JP): In yet another desperate attempt to locate the
fugitive Hutomo "Tommy" Mandala Putra, police announced plans on
Thursday to drill and break into at least three other spots in
his house.
Despite having found nobody in the air-conditioned and well-
furnished underground bunker in Tommy's house, police refused to
eliminate the possibility that the fugitive, a billionaire
businessman, could be hiding somewhere in or around Jl. Cendana
in the leafy Menteng area of Central Jakarta, where Soeharto and
his children live.
"Geo-radar detectors have indicated the existence of bunkers
in an area of Tommy's house which police have marked as C-12. The
new spots include the middle of the nursery, and one in front of
a salon belonging to Tommy's wife," National Police spokesman
Brig. Gen. Saleh Saaf told reporters on Thursday.
Saleh added that geo-radar signals had also indicated the
existence of passageways behind the walls and beneath the bunker.
"Police will most likely break down the walls of the bunker.
We have to check everything," Saleh told reporters.
There have been reports of interconnecting bunkers beneath the
adjoining residences of the former first family.
The fact that fishing and automotive equipment mostly filled
the 28 cupboards fixed to the walls of the bunker did not
diminish the fact that the bunker could have been used by Tommy
as a hiding place, Saleh said.
"So, Juan Felix Tampubolon (the Soeharto family lawyer) may
call the bunker a rich man's cellar. But, that bunker could be
used to hide and live comfortably by anyone's standards," Saleh
added.
Among the toolkits, three bullet-proof vests were also found
in the bunker.
Summons
Meanwhile, the National Police have issued separate police
summons for both Juan Felix and Tommy's wife, Ardhia Pramesti
"Tata" Regita Cahyani, to appear on Monday at city police
headquarters for questioning as suspects in connection with
having provided the police with misleading information.
"Both are scheduled to be questioned on Monday as suspects,
for obstructing a police investigation. They lied to us, and gave
us wrong information about the bunker," Saleh said.
He added that both would be questioned under Article 216 of
the Criminal Code for obstructing the police from performing
their duty, which carries a maximum jail term of four years and
two months.
Tommy's family members and lawyers had been insisting for
months that no bunker would be found in or around Jl. Cendana.
Tommy's elder sister, Siti Hardijanti "Tutut" Indra Rukmana,
had gone so far as to announce via the Soeharto family
mouthpiece, Adj. Comr. Anton Tabah, former president Soeharto's
bodyguard, that a reward of Rp 200 million would be given to
anybody who could prove the bunker's existence.
When asked about this, Saleh said: "All of you (reporters)
should immediately go now and remind her of her promise."
"As for Anton, he has been dealt with separately by National
Police Headquarters, and has been transferred from his present
position as Soeharto's bodyguard to another division."
Separately, city administration spokesman Muhayat noted that
no permit or license had ever been issued by the administration
for any (underground) storage room when Tommy's home was being
constructed.
"The owner never informed us of this. The administration could
have issued a special license for a basement, which would
function as a storeroom, but not a bunker," Muhayat told
reporters at City Hall.
He said Tommy could be charged with violating City Bylaw No.
7/1991 on housing construction, which prohibits houses in the
capital from having "secret rooms". (04/ylt)