President's journey disrupted by 'rapist'

President's journey disrupted by 'rapist'

JAKARTA (JP): President Abdurrahman Wahid's motorcade was
disrupted on Monday by the arrest of Nano bin Sumarno, who
allegedly attempted to rape a woman in a police post on Jl.
Sudirman in South Jakarta.

The arrest occurred on Jl. Sudirman precisely as the
President's motorcade was passing along the city's main
thoroughfare.

The incident began when police officer First. Sgt. Andana
Sumantri approached the police post, located near a gas station
next to the Hilton Hotel on Jl. Sudirman.

The officer, from the city police's Special Task Force, was
assigned to the post as part of the security arrangements for the
President's journey.

"The President was scheduled to pass along Jl. Sudirman from
the Hang Lekir area at 2:30 p.m., after a function there. I was
assigned to the post to manage traffic and safeguard his
journey," the officer said at Jakarta Police Headquarters.

From Hang Lekir, the President's motorcade proceeded along Jl.
Sudirman to the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central
Jakarta.

As Andana approached, he heard a woman scream from inside the
small post, often used by police officers to rest after directing
traffic.

"I quickly got to the scene and found a man attempting to rape
a woman. The man had already succeeded in lowering the woman's
pants to her knees, while her T-shirt had been forced up around
her neck," he said.

The officer said the suspect fled the scene upon being
discovered. "He ran across Jl. Sudirman and I was nervous since
the President and his entourage were going to pass at 2:30 p.m.,"
he said.

The officer gave chase to the suspect and succeeded in
catching him. "I pulled him by long hair and dragged him off the
street," he said.

The arrest disrupted the President's journey. "The President's
motor escorts had already passed by the spot when (the suspect)
reached the empty street.

"As I pulled his hair, I saw the President's car passing along
the street, some 20 meters away from the spot," the officer said,
adding that the President's driver hit the brakes.

The officer said the driver did not stop the vehicle,
apparently confident the suspect would be removed from the
street.

Meanwhile, Nano, said he was a fruit seller at Kramatjati
market in East Jakarta.

"I was hanging out in the Senayan area, where I met the
woman," said the 28-year-old Nano, adding that he recognized the
woman as a fruit seller in the Senayan area.

Nano, however, refused to say whether he forced the woman into
the police post or if she followed him willingly.

The woman, who refused to give her name, was taken to a nearby
hospital for a medical examination. (asa)